Lok Sabha Question No. 2214 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-01
Subject: Nutritional Value of Mid-Day Meal
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: DUSHYANT SINGH

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2214 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.01.2018

## Nutritional Value of Mid-Day Meal

## 2214.     SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  current  system  of  monitoring  used  by  the  Government  to  monitor  the nutritional value of the Mid-Day Meal served to children in the schools across the country;
- (b) whether the Government has planned to develop a low cost and time efficient kit that gives nutritional  value  and  status  of  the  food  being  served  to  the  children  on  the  spot  without sending it to the labs for testing; and
- (c)   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): One of the objectives of the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme 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  has  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 seniormost 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.  The  Government  of  India  has  also  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.    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.

- (b)  &  (c):  No,  Madam. MDM Guidelines  on  Food  Safety  and  Hygiene  for  School  Level Kitchens envisages that the States and UTs must consider engaging CSIR Institutes/NABL accredited  laboratories  and  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI) accredited laboratories for undertaking testing of samples of mid-day meal for food safety and  contamination.    Moreover,  MDM  Rules  2015,  envisages  that  Hot  cooked  meal provided to  children  shall  be  evaluated  and  certified  by  the  Government  Food  Research Laboratory or any laboratory accredited or recognized by law, so as to ensure that the meal meets with the nutritional standards and quality.

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