Question : MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME

(a) whether the Government is considering to address the complaints with regard to the mid-day meal scheme received during the current year;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the manner in which these complaints are being addressed; and

(c) the basis on which the funds are being spent on children enrolled under the scheme?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI ARJUN SINGH)

(a), (b) and (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b) AND (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 310 FOR 20.3.2007 BY SHRI DEVIDAS PINGLE AND SHRI SHISHUPAL. N. PATLE REGARDING MID DAY MEAL

(a) & (b): The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) is an ongoing Centrally- Sponsored Scheme under which there is a well established monitoring and supervision system to ensure that all eligible children are provided hot cooked meals. The Central and State Governments/ UTs have a public grievance mechanism to look into complaints in the implementation of the scheme. Complaints coming under the purview of the State Governments/ UTs are referred to the State Governments/ UTs for corrective and remedial action.

(c) The Central Government provides the following assistance to State Governments/ UTs under the scheme:


(i) Free food grains @100 grams per child/school day;


(ii) Reimbursement of the actual cost incurred in transportation of food grains subject to a ceiling of Rs.100 per Quintal for 11 special category States and Rs.75 per quintal for all other States and UTs.


(iii) Assistance for cooking cost at the rate of (a) 1.80 per child/school day provided the State Govt. contributes a minimum of Rs 0.20 for States in North-Eastern Region, and (b) Rs. 1.50 per child/ school day for other States and UTs, provided that these States/UTs contribute a minimum of Rs 0.50 per child/school day.


(iv) Assistance for cooked Mid-Day Meal during summer vacations to school children in areas declared by State Governments as “drought-affected”.


(v) Assistance for construction of kitchen-cum-store up to a maximum of Rs. 60,000 per unit.


(vi) Assistance for provisioning and replacement of kitchen devices at an average cost of Rs. 5,000 per school.


(vii) Assistance for Management, Monitoring & Evaluation (MME) at the rate of 1.8% of total assistance on (a) free food grains, (b) transport cost and (c) cooking cost. Another 0.2% of the above amount is utilized at the Central Government for management, monitoring and evaluation.


The overall responsibility to provide a hot cooked mid day meal to eligible children lies with the State Governments/ UT administrations The State Governments are responsible for:

1. Providing the State share towards cooking costs.

2. Making arrangements for lifting foodgrains supplied by FCI and transporting them to schools.

3. Ensuring regular and timely flow of funds to schools to facilitate cooking.

4. Making arrangements for cooking and serving of meals.

5. Construction of kitchen sheds.
6. Procurement of kitchen devices.

7 Monitoring and supervision of the scheme.