(a) whether the Government is aware of the Supreme Court judgment in writ petition No, 196/2001 directing the State Governments to start providing cooked meal instead of dry ration to the Primary Students @ 3kgs. per month;
(b) if so, whether the Government propose to review the scheme of National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education by giving adequate financial support to the State Governments to meet the extra expenditure; and
(c) if so, the details thereof ?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (PROF. RITA VERMA)
(a) : Yes, sir.
(b) & (c ): The Working Group on Elementary Education for
the 10th Five Year Plan had recommended a cost sharing on a
50:50 basis between Central Government and States, on a
conversion cost of Rs.1 per child per school day. However,
financial assistance to States/UTs in addition to the
existing central support namely, supply of free of cost food
grains and admissible transportation charges, would depend
upon adequate allocation of funds for the purpose.