Lok Sabha Question No. 129 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-17
Subject: Substandard Food under Mid Day Meal Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, DHARMENDRA YADAV, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, ABHISHEK SINGH

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 129 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.07.2017

## Substandard Food under Mid Day Meal Scheme

## 129. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH::

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware about the allegations of substandard quality of food, discrepancies  in  rates  and  favouritism  towards  certain  contractors  in  the  mid  day  meal programme for school children and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has inquired about the matter and if so, the findings thereof and the action taken thereon;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to make Aadhaar Card mandatory for the students to avail mid day meals and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has made any assessment about the number of school children who  have  Aadhaar  cards  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  for  making  it mandatory for mid day meal and the reaction received from the State Government;
- (e) whether it is a fact that present rate of Aadhaar card Enrolment of students in primary schools in States is very low and if so, the steps taken by the Government to improve the enrolment; and
- (f) the  details  of  the  steps  taken/  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  no student be denied mid day meal only because of not having Aadhaar card?

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

(a) & (b): This Ministry has not received any complaint regarding discrepancies in rates and favouritism towards contractors in Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS).  However, a total number of  113  complaints  on  substandard  quality  of  food  served  to  the  children  were  reported  from various States and Union Territories during the last three years and the current year. Respective State Governments/UT Administrations were requested to furnish Action Taken Report (ATR) in the matter. As per ATRs received from States/UTs, action such as issuing warning against the official  responsible,  terminating  the  contract  of  concerned  NGOs/Organisations,  initiating criminal  proceedings  and  imposing  penalties  against  the  defaulting  persons/organisations  have been  taken  up  by  the  concerned  State  Governments/UT  Administrations.    The  State/UT-wise details  of  complaints  on  substandard  quality  of  food  served  to  the  children  and  action  taken thereon during each of the last three years and the current year is given at Annexure.

(c) to (f): Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is covered under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial  and  Other  Subsidies,  Benefits  and  Services)  Act,  2016.  A  notification  has  been published  in  the  Gazette  of  India  (Extraordinary)  dated  28 th February,  2017  which  came  into effect in all States and Union Territories except in the States of Assam, Meghalaya and the State of Jammu & Kashmir.  As per the notification, the beneficiaries are required to furnish proof of possession  of  Aadhaar  number  or  undergo  Aadhaar  authentification  and,  if  not  enrolled  for Aadhaar, shall have to apply for Aadhaar enrolment by 30 th June, 2017 (the time limit is later extended  upto  31 st August,  2017)  provided  that  till  the  time  Aadhaar  is  assigned  to  the individual,  he/she  shall  be  entitled  for  benefit  subject  to  the  production  of  the  following identification documents, namely:

- (i) If he or she has enrolled, his or her Aadhaar Enrolment Id slip; or
- (ii) A copy of his or her application made for Aadhaar Enrolment and an undertaking by the parent or legal guardian that the child is not availing benefit from any other school and any one of the documents mentioned in the notification.

As  for  information  reported  by  States/UTs,  so  far  7,37,124,64  (60%)  students  have  Aadhaar number against total number of 12,26,19,883 enrolled children in Elementary Level (Classes 1 st -8 th ).  All the States/UTs have been requested to take adequate steps for Aadhaar enrollment and ensure 100% enrollment within the stipulated timeline.  A Workshop has also been conducted for all States/UTs along with experts from UIDAI in the matter.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 129 for 17.07.2017 raised by SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE, SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT,  SHRI  ADHALRAO  PATIL  SHIVAJIRAO,  SHRI  DHARMENDRA  YADAV, SHRI  ANANDRAO  ADSUL,  SHRI  ABHISHEK  SINGH  regarding  Substandard  Food under Mid Day Meal Scheme

## (a) State-wise and year-wise details of complaints on poor quality of meals served under MDMS during last 3 years and current year

| Sl No.   | State/UT         | 2014   | 2015   | 2016   | 2017   |   TOTAL |
|----------|------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|---------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh   | 2      |        | 1      |        |       3 |
| 2        | A&NIslands       | 1      |        |        |        |       1 |
| 3        | Assam            |        | 1      |        |        |       1 |
| 4        | Bihar            | 9      | 7      | 2      |        |      18 |
| 5        | Chandigarh       |        | 1      |        |        |       1 |
| 6        | Chhattisgarh     | 3      | 1      | 1      |        |       5 |
| 7        | Delhi            | 2      | 5      | 1      | 1      |       9 |
| 8        | Gujarat          | 1      | 1      |        | 1      |       3 |
| 9        | Goa              |        | 1      |        |        |       1 |
| 10       | Haryana          | 1      |        | 1      | 1      |       3 |
| 11       | Himachal Pradesh |        | 1      |        |        |       1 |
| 12       | J&K              |        |        | 1      |        |       1 |
| 13       | Jharkhand        | 3      | 2      | 2      |        |       7 |
| 13       | Karnataka        | 3      |        |        |        |       3 |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh   | 3      | 3      |        |        |       6 |
| 15       | Maharashtra      | 2      | 5      | 2      |        |       9 |
| 16       | Odisha           | 4      | 2      | 1      |        |       7 |
| 17       | Punjab           |        |        | 1      | 1      |       2 |
| 18       | Tamil Nadu       |        |        |        | 1      |       1 |
| 19       | Telangana        | 1      |        | 1      |        |       2 |
| 20       | Tripura          |        | 1      |        |        |       1 |
| 21       | Uttarakhand      |        |        |        |        |       0 |
| 22       | Uttar Pradesh    | 6      | 14     | 5      |        |      25 |
| 23       | West Bengal      |        | 1      | 2      |        |       3 |
|          | Total            | 41     | 46     | 21     | 5      |     113 |

(b)

Abstract of action taken on above complaints

|   Sl. No. | Type of Action                                                                                                                              |   2014 |   2015 |   2016 | 2017   |   Total |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|---------|
|         1 | Reply awaited                                                                                                                               |      5 |     14 |     13 | 5      |      37 |
|         2 | Under enquiry/ investigation at State level                                                                                                 |      3 |      2 |      0 |        |       5 |
|         3 | Departmental action (including warning, transfer, suspension) and action against service providers / complaint substantiated by State Govt. |     17 |     18 |      8 |        |      43 |
|         4 | General corrective action, including issue of instructions to the concerned, by State Govt./Government of India.                            |      7 |      7 |      0 |        |      14 |
|         5 | Baseless, not proved, not related toMDM                                                                                                     |      9 |      5 |      0 |        |      14 |
|         6 | Total                                                                                                                                       |     41 |     46 |     21 | 5      |     113 |