Lok Sabha Question No. 1565 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-01
Subject: Monitoring of Mid Day Meal Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1565 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.07.2019

## Monitoring of Mid Day Meal Scheme

## †1565. SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

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

- (a) whether the quantum of various items including pulses, edible oils and vegetables has been fixed by the Government under the Mid Day Meal Scheme;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  cost  of  foodgrains  and  other  items  including  cooking  cost  fixed  by  the  Government  at national/State level under the Mid Day Meal Scheme;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to permit the States to fix cost of various items so as to enable them to meet 75 percent actual expenditure on materials included in the cooking cost;
- (e) if so, the details thereof;
- (f) if not, whether the Government proposes to review cooking related norms on quarterly basis;
- (g) if so, the details thereof; and
- (h) the mechanism evolved by the Government to monitor and to improve the Mid Day Meal Scheme?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a) & (b): The Mid-Day Meal Guidelines prescribe the following nutritional and food norms under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme for improving the quality of mid-day meal:
- (c):  Under  Mid-Day  Meal  Scheme  (MDMS),  the  Central  Government  fixes  the  cost  of  following components and provides financial assistance to States and UTs:
- (i) Foodgrains: Foodgrains are provided through Food Corporation of India (FCI) to States/UTs at subsidised rates under National Food Security Act i.e. Rs. 2 and Rs. 3 per kg for wheat and rice respectively.  The economic cost of wheat is Rs. 25.06 per kg and that of rice is Rs. 36.02 per kg.
- (ii) Cooking  Cost: It  includes  cost  of  ingredients,  e.g.  pulses,  vegetables,  cooking  oil,  other condiments and cost of fuel and is Rs 4.48 for primary classes and Rs 6.71 for upper primary classes.
- (iii) Honorarium to Cook-cum-helpers : It is provided @ of Rs. 1000 to each CCH per month for 10 months in a year.
- (iv) Transportation Assistance (TA): It is provided at par with Public Distribution System (PDS) rates subject  to  a  maximum  of  Rs.  1500  per  MT,  in  all  States  and  UTs  other  than  8  NER  and  3 Himalayan States. The TA for 8 NER and 3 Himalayan States is at par with their respective PDS rates.
- (v) Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (MME): It is calculated@ 3% of above mentioned four components.
- (d) to (g): No, Sir. Under MDMS, the cooking cost is fixed by the Central Government.  The Government reviewed the Scheme in 2018-19 and approved revision of cooking cost annually in April linked to inflation  index  (Consumer  Price  Index).  Accordingly,  the  cooking  cost  was  increased  by  3.09% w.e.f. 1st April, 2019 for the year 2019-20 over and above the previously existing cooking cost. The current cooking cost is Rs. 4.48 for primary classes and Rs. 6.71 for upper primary classes and will be shared between the Centre and States as per the approved sharing pattern.
- (h): 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.

| Items                                        | For children of Primary classes              | For children of Upper Primary classes        |
|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day)     | A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day)     | A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day)     |
| Calorie                                      | 450                                          | 700                                          |
| Protein                                      | 12 gms                                       | 20 gms                                       |
| B) Quantum of Food Norms (Per child per day) | B) Quantum of Food Norms (Per child per day) | B) Quantum of Food Norms (Per child per day) |
| Food-grains                                  | 100 gms                                      | 150 gms                                      |
| Pulses                                       | 20 gms                                       | 30 gms                                       |
| Vegetables                                   | 50 gms                                       | 75 gms                                       |
| Oil &fat                                     | 5 gms                                        | 7.5 gms                                      |
| Salt &condiments                             | As per need                                  | As per need                                  |

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 from the district monitors the implementation of the scheme.

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 to directing States and UTs to carry out Social Audit, 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.