Lok Sabha Question No. 168 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-18
Subject: Review of Mid Day Meal Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.168 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2016

## Review of Mid Day Meal Scheme

## 168. SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Mid Day Meal Scheme in various States in the country is in very pathetic state due to alleged corruption and nexus between school authorities with contractors and political leaders and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of casualties after consuming Mid Day Meal provided in some of the schools across the country and if so, the details of such incidents during the last three years, State/UT and Year-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  review  the  Mid  Day  Meal  Scheme  to  protect children and fix the responsibility and punish the guilty persons in this regard; and
- (d) if so the reaction of the Government thereon and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SH.PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a): Under Mid Day Meal Scheme, hot cooked meals are provided to 10.03 crore children  in 11.50 lakh institutions on every working day of the school. Despite this scale of operations, only 95  complaints  of  misappropriation/corruption  have  been  received  during  the  last  three  years. State-wise number of such complaints is annexed.

(b) to (d):  During the last three years, only one such incident has been reported in July, 2013 in District Saran of Bihar in which 23 children died after consuming the Mid Day Meal. Criminal proceedings  against  accused  persons  under  section  302,  307,  328  and  120(B)  of  Indian  Panel Code  were  launched  by  the  State  Government.  Investigation  was  completed  and  the  case  is currently pending trial in the court.

Several measures have been taken in the recent past to improve implementation of the scheme.  In February, 2015, updated guidelines on Food Safety and Hygiene have been issued to all the States and UTs to deal with food safety issues relating to procurement, storage, cooking, serving  and  waste  disposed  of  food  items.    Further,  under  the  provisions  of  National  Food Security Act, Mid Day Meal Rules, 2015 have been notified in September, 2015.  These Rules inter-alia, provide for enhanced role of School Management Committees, testing of food samples in  Government  recognized  labs  and  fixing  responsibility  on  concerned  school  authorities  for failure to maintain regularity in providing meals to children on school working days.  Besides, States have also been instructed that at least one and preferably two parents should taste the meal before being served to children.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 168 for 18.07.2016  raised  by  SHRI  BADRUDDIN  AJMAL  regarding  Review  of  Mid  Day  Meal Scheme.

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | No. of complaints regarding Misappropriation /corruption   |
|-----------|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 1                                                          |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh | 1                                                          |
| 3         | Assam             | 1                                                          |
| 4         | Bihar             | 22                                                         |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      | -                                                          |
| 6         | Delhi             | 3                                                          |
| 7         | Goa               | -                                                          |
| 8         | Haryana           | 7                                                          |
| 9         | Jharkhand         | 4                                                          |
| 10        | Karnataka         | -                                                          |
| 11        | Kerala            | -                                                          |
| 12        | Madhya Pradesh    | 4                                                          |
| 13        | Maharashtra       | 2                                                          |
| 14        | Odisha            | 2                                                          |
| 15        | Punjab            | 3                                                          |
| 16        | Rajasthan         | 3                                                          |
| 17        | Uttarakhand       | 4                                                          |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh     | 30                                                         |
| 19        | West Bengal       | 8                                                          |
|           | Total             | 95                                                         |