Lok Sabha Question No. 2220 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-09
Subject: Mid-Day  Meal Scheme in Jharkhand
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. Nishikant Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2220 ANSWERED ON - 09/12/2024

## Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Jharkhand

## 2220.  Dr. Nishikant Dubey:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  funds  utilized  by  the  State  of  Jharkhand  allocated  by  the  Central Government for Mid-day Meal Scheme (MDMS) during the last three years and also the current year, yearwise;
- (b) whether quality food has been/is being served under MDMS;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to improve and maintain the quality of food served under MDMS in the State?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) : PM  POSHAN  is  one  of  the  foremost  rights  based  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to 11.70 crore children studying in Balvatika (pre-primary classes) and classes I to VIII of 10.24 lakh Government and Government-aided schools on all school working days. The funds utilized by the State of Jharkhand is as under:-

(Rs in lakh)

|                    | Utilization   | Utilization   | Utilization   |
|--------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| State of Jharkhand | 2021-22       | 2022-23       | 2023-24       |
|                    | 56534.44      | 38118.49      | 36184.61      |

(b) to (d): The  overall  responsibility  for  smooth  functioning  of  the  scheme  including providing  hot  cooked  and  nutritious  meal  to  the  eligible  children  lies  with  the  State Governments  and  Union  Territory  Administrations.  The  Government  of  India  has  issued detailed  guidelines  on  quality,  safety  and  hygiene  to  ensure  serving  of  good  quality  meal under the  Scheme to  all  the  States/UTs.  These  guidelines  are  available  on  official  website https://pmposhan.education.gov.in.  The  scheme  provides  elaborate  monitoring  mechanism i.e. Empowered Committee under the Chairpersonship of Hon'ble Union Education Minister, Programme Approval Board (PAB) under the Chairpersonship of Secretary (DoSE&L), State Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee under the Chairpersonship of Chief Secretary, a District level Committee under the Chairpersonship of senior-most MP of Lok Sabha, District level Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee under the Chairpersonship of District Collector.

These guidelines, inter-alia, provides for instructions to schools to procure Agmark quality and branded items for preparation of meals, training to Cook-cum-Helpers, tasting of meals by members of School Management Committee including at least one teacher before serving to children. The States/UTs are required to conduct Social Audit in all districts in at least 20 schools  or  2%  of  the  schools,  whichever  is  higher  for  each  district.  Further,  the  Mid-Day Meal  Rules,  2015  provide  for  mandatory  testing  of  food  samples  by  Government  Food Research  Laboratory  or  any  laboratory  accredited  or  recognized  by  law  to  ensure  that  the meals meet nutritional standards and quality. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is given responsibility for issue of food grains of best available quality, which will in any case be at least of Fair Average Quality (FAQ). The FCI appoints a Nodal Officer for each State to take care  of  various  problems  in  supply  of  food  grains  under  the  PM  POSHAN  Scheme.  The District Collector / CEO of Zila Panchayat ensures that food grains of at least FAQ are lifted after  joint  inspection  by  a  team  consisting  of  FCI  and  the  nominee  of the  Collector and/or Chief  Executive  Officer,  District  Panchayat,  and  confirmation  by  them  that  the  grain conforms to at least FAQ norms. Training of cook-cum-helpers are being done on nutrition, cooking  processes,  health  and  hygiene,  preparation  of  raw  grains  and  vegetables,  recipes, serving  skills  etc.  in  collaboration  with  Ministry  of  Tourism,  Govt.  of  India  through  their Institutes  of  Hotel  Management  and  Food  Craft  Institutes,  FSSAI,  State  Agricultural Universities etc.

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