Lok Sabha Question No. 446 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: Mid-Day Meal during Holidays
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH, M. UDHAYAKUMAR, PRALHAD VENKATESH JOSHI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 446

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2017

Mid-Day Meal during Holidays

## 446. SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH: ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR: SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI:

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

- (a)         whether it is true that the Government is considering to provide mid-day meals even during school holidays and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)        whether it is also true that any such move might have huge financial implications and that many schemes run by the Government are already suffering from severe financial crunch and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)      whether the Government has assessed the actual impact and effectiveness of midday   meal scheme in fighting malnutrition and if so, the details thereof?

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

- (a) & (b): No, Madam. However, the Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme guidelines envisage serving of mid day meals in elementary schools during summer vacation in areas which are formally notified by the concerned State Governments as drought affected. During the  year  2016-17,  an  amount  of  Rs.  480.91  crore  has  been  released  to  12  States  for serving mid day meals during summer vacation in drought affected areas against total release of Rs. 9478.61 crore under the scheme.
- (c):      One  of  the  objectives  of  the  MDM  scheme  is  to  improve  nutritional  status  of children  studying  in  the  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  that  quality  food  is  served  to children  under  the  Scheme  as  well  as  to  monitor  other  important  aspects  of  the scheme.   At  national  level,  an  Empowered  Committee,  headed  by  Minister  of  Human Resource  Development,  a  National  level  Steering-cum-Monitoring  Committee  (NSMC)

and Programme Approval Board (PAB) monitor the scheme and suggest measures for its smooth  and  effective  implementation.  At  the  State  level,  a  State  level  Steering-cumMonitoring  Committee  headed  by  the  State  Chief  Secretary  and,  at  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 midday 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/UTs  for  taking suitable action on the findings.

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