Lok Sabha Question No. 3789 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-19
Subject: Mid day Meal Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: HARISH CHANDRA MEENA, BALKA SUMAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3789 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2018

## Mid day Meal Scheme

## 3789.   SHRI HARISH MEENA: SHRI SUMAN BALKA:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  quality  and  nutritions  level  of  food provided to students in mid-day meals;
- (b) whether it is a fact that majority of students consuming food in mid-day meal are undernourished;
- (c) if so, the reasons therefor and the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government has issued an advisory asking States to include milk in the mid-day meal scheme and other nutritional programmes with a view to tackle high levels of malnourishment in the country; and
- (e)  if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

- (a) to (c): One of the objectives of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)  is to improve the nutritional status of children studying in elementary classes in schools covered under the  Scheme,  by  providing  hot  cooked  meal.  The  Government  of  India  has issued guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene on school level kitchens to all the States  and  UTs.  These  guidelines  inter-alia  provide  for  instruction  to  schools  to procure  Agmark  quality  and  branded  items  for  preparation  of  mid  day  meals, tasting of meals by 2-3 adult members 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.    In  addition,  the  Centre  constitutes  Joint  Review Missions  (JRMs)  consisting  of  educational  and  nutritional  experts,  which  review the scheme through field visits from time to time.  The reports of JRMs are shared with concerned States and UTs for taking suitable action on the findings.
- (d) & (e): MDMS is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with all States and UTs. The overall responsibility for providing a cooked and nutritious mid-day  meal  to  eligible  children  lies  with  the  State  Governments  and  Union Territory Administrations who shall fix the menu as per their local needs.  Though milk is  not  one  of  the  food  articles  prescribed  under the  MDMS, States  and  UTs may add milk or milk based recipe viz. kheer, dalia etc in the mid- day meal under the  scheme  as  per  the  interest  of  children.  Some  States  and  UTs e.g  Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh provide milk, fruits etc as additional item from their own resources.

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