Question : Corruption in Mid Day Meal Scheme

a) whether the complaints of corruption in mid-day meal scheme is being received in large numbers;

(b) whether the school administration is giving sub-standard ration and vegetables to the students which is affecting their health as well as proving to be life threatening in some cases;

(c) whether many cases of false nomination to embezzle money under this scheme have come to light;

(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government to maintain the quality of mid-day meal;

(e) whether the Government has taken stringent action against the persons involved in mid-day meal corruption; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)

(a) to (c): Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is an on-going Centrally-Sponsored Scheme which covers all school children studying in Classes I-VIII of Government, Government-Aided schools, Special Training Centres including Madarsas and Maqtabs supported under Samagra Shiksha (SS). The number of children enrolled under MDMS is about 11.59 crore. A total of 33 complaints regarding corruption and 13 complaints regarding poor quality of food in implementation of the Scheme were reported during the last two years and current year. No case of false nomination to embezzle money has been reported during the last two years and current year under the Scheme.
(d): The Government has adopted an elaborate monitoring mechanism at Central, State and District levels to ensure quality food is served to children under the Scheme. Further, for effective implementation of the Scheme, the Government of India has also issued guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene to all the States and UTs. These guidelines, inter-alia, provide for instructions to schools to procure Agmark quality and branded items for preparation of mid day meals, tasting of meals by 2-3 adult members of School Management Committee including at least one teacher before serving to children and to put in place a system of testing of food samples by accredited laboratories. Further, the MDM Rules, 2015 provide for mandatory testing of food samples by Government recognized laboratories to ensure that the meals meet nutritional standards and quality.


(e) & (f): The overall responsibility for providing cooked and nutritious mid-day meal to the eligible children lies with State Governments and UTs Administrations. As per Action Taken Reports (ATRs) received from States and UTs, action such as issuing warning against the official responsible, terminating the contract of concerned NGOs / Organisations, initiating criminal proceedings and imposing penalties against the defaulting persons/officials/organisations have been taken by the concerned State Governments and UT Administrations. As per the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) received from States and UTs, the details of action taken on these complaints are given at Annexure.

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