Lok Sabha Question No. 66 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-18
Subject: Cooking Cost under the Mid Day Meal Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.66 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2016

## Cooking Cost under the Mid Day Meal Scheme

## 66. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that despite 7.5% annual increase in the cooking costs under the Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS), most schools are unable to meet the expenses for nutritious food  for children and  often rely on  the personal contributions of teachers/principals, including schools in the State of Kerala and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Minister is aware that the erstwhile Planning Commission had allocated an outlay of Rs. 90,155 crore in  the 12th Five Year Plan for the MDMS but only about Rs. 44,000 has been released during the plan period (till April,  2016),  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) if  so,  whether  the  Government  would  consider  increasing  the  cooking  costs  under  the MDMS from Rs. 3.86 per child per day for primary stage and Rs. 5.78 per child per day for upper primary stage to provide quality and nutritious food; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons therefor?

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

(a):     The Mid Day Meal Scheme is implemented in partnership with States/UTs. As per the Scheme, the Central Government provides food grains at the rate of 100 gms per day per child for primary and 150 gms for upper primary children to the States at subsidized rates. The entire cost  of  food  grains  is  borne  by  the  Central  Government.  The  funding  for  cooking  cost  which includes the cost of vegetables, pulses, oil, condiments and fuel is shared with the States/UTs in the ratio of 90:10 for NER States and 3 Himalayan States, 100% for UTs and 60:40 for all other States.  Besides,  Central  Assistance  is  also  provided  for  honorarium  of  cook-cum-helpers, transportation  of  food  grains  and  monitoring  &  evaluation  expenses.      Several  States/UTs  are contributing additional funds for additional food items in the menu as well as for honorarium of cook-cum-helpers.

(b):    The Planning Commission had allocated Rs.90, 155 crore for implementation of Mid Day Meal Scheme during the 12 th Plan.  The year wise details of funds allocated in the budget  and funds released to States/UTs upto 2015-16 are as under:-

Rs. in Crore)

| Year    |   Funds allocated |   Funds released |
|---------|-------------------|------------------|
| 2012-13 |           11937   |         10867.9  |
| 2013-14 |           13215   |         10927.2  |
| 2014-15 |           13215   |         10527    |
| 2015-16 |            9236.4 |          9151.55 |

A sum of ` 9700.00 crore has been allocated in the budget for 2016-17for  Mid Day Meal Scheme. The decrease in fund releases from 2015-16 onwards is mainly on  account  of  change in funding pattern which has come down from 75:25 to 60:40 for most of the states since 01.04.2015

(c)&(d): The cooking cost under Mid Day Meal Scheme has been increased by 7% with effect from 1 st July,2016 over and above the cooking cost for the year 2015-16 and the revised  cooking cost is ` 4.13 and ` 6.18 per child per day for primary and upper primary stages respectively.

*****************