Question : Mid Day Meal Scheme

(a) whether the Government is aware that several children fell sick after consuming
substandard Mid Day Meal in schools in recent past;
(b) if so, whether the Government has prepared any guidelines regarding quality check
of the food served under the Mid Day Meal Scheme in schools across the country;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the details of mechanism prepared by the Government
to ensure proper implementation of the said guidelines and if not, the reasons
therefor;
(d) whether it is a fact that almost 76% children in the country are unable to get Mid
Day Meal and if so, the reasons therefor along with the details of expenditure
incurred on the said scheme, State/UT-wise ;
(e) whether the Government proposes to link MDMS fund to Aadhaar so as to provide
100 per cent benefit to beneficiaries under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
scheme; and
(f) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be implemented and if
not, the reasons therefor ?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a) to (c): A total number of 38 children were reported ill after consuming mid-day
meal in the country during 2018. The Government of India has issued guidelines on
quality, safety and hygiene in school level kitchens 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. The Government has
also adopted an elaborate monitoring mechanism at Central, State and District
levels to ensure quality food is served to children under the Scheme. At national
level, an Empowered Committee, headed by Minister of Human Resource
Development and also a National level Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee
(NSMC) as well as Programme Approval Board (PAB) monitor the scheme and
suggest measures for its smooth and effective implementation. At the State level, a
State level Steering–cum-Monitoring Committee headed by the State Chief
Secretary and, at the District Level, a District Level Committee under the
Chairpersonship of the senior-most Member of Parliament of Lok Sabha of the
district monitors the implementation of the scheme in the concerned District. At
local level Gram Panchayats/Gram Sabhas, members of Village Education
Committees (VECs), Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and the School
Management Committees (SMCs) monitor the regularity and wholesomeness of the
mid-day meal served to children, cleanliness in cooking and serving of the meal,
timeliness in procurement of good quality ingredients, fuel, etc., implementation of
variety in menu so as to make it attractive to children and ensuring social and
gender equity on daily basis.
(d): No, Madam. Mid-Day Meal ( MDM) Scheme, is an on-going Centrally-Sponsored
Scheme which covers all school children studying in Classes I-VIII of Government,
Government-Aided, Special Training Centres including Madarsas and Maqtabs
supported under Samagra Shiksha. The State and UT-wise details of funds released
by Government of India during the year 2017-18 under the scheme is given at
Annexure.
(e) & (f): Under the MDM Scheme funds are not provided directly to beneficiaries, but
hot cooked meal is provided on each school day to the children studying in classes I
to VIII.