Lok Sabha Question No. 1176 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-25
Subject: NGOs working under Mid Day Meal Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAJENDRA AGRAWAL

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.1176 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2016

## NGOs working under Mid Day Meal Scheme

## 1176.  SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

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

- (a) whether some NGOs are providing meals to schools through centralised kitchens under Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme and if so, the number thereof, State/ UT-wise;
- (b) the  number  of  Rural  and  Urban  schools  covered  by  NGOs  in  State/UTwise  under MDM;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note that due to intervention of NGOs community participation has decreased and local cooks/helpers are forced to leave jobs under MDM in Rural India and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  samples,  collected  from  NGO's  centralised  kitchen  have  been  found  to  be  in compliance with prescribed standards and nutritive values and if so, the details thereof as percentage of total collected samples; and
- (e) whether some NGOs are not adhering to the guidelines of the Government, especially, in menu selection and the quality of meal delivered and if so, the details thereof and the action taken/ being taken by the Government against such NGOs?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c): The Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is implemented in partnership with States/UTs. The overall responsibility  for  providing cooked  and nutritious  mid day meal to  the eligible children lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.  The  MDM  guidelines  provide  for  Centralized  kitchens  for  urban areas where there is space constraint.  In Centralized kitchens, cooking can take place and cooked hot meal may be transported under hygienic conditions through reliable transport systems to various schools. The  guidelines also provide for active community participation for day to day management, supervision and monitoring of the  programme  through  Self  Help  Groups,  Village  Education  Committees,  Gram Panchayats  and  School  Management  Committees.    The  State/UT-wise  number  of schools covered by NGOs is given at Annexure .
- (d) & (e): NGOs  /voluntary  agencies  for  serving  meals  in  identified  clusters  of  schools  are engaged  by  the  respective  State/UT  Governments.  The  segregated  data  regarding testing of samples from centralized kitchens is not centrally maintained. However, as reported  by  the  States  altogether  a  total  of  3089  samples  were  tested  by  the States/UTs in 2015-16.  As per available information, 16 complaints relating to NGOs engaged by States for MDM were received during last three years and current year in the Ministry. Action such as terminating their contracts, initiating criminal proceedings,  imposing  monetary  compensation  etc.  have  been  taken  by  State Governments.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1176 for 25.07.2016 raised by SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL regarding NGOs working under Mid Day Meal Scheme.

State/UT-wise number of schools covered by NGOs

| S. No.   | State/UT       |   No. ofNGO working |   No. of schools covered |
|----------|----------------|---------------------|--------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh |                   5 |                     1169 |
| 2        | Assam          |                   1 |                      591 |
| 3        | Bihar          |                   6 |                     2760 |
| 4        | Chhattisgarh   |                   4 |                      665 |
| 5        | Gujarat        |                   3 |                     3264 |
| 6        | Haryana        |                   1 |                     2003 |
| 7        | Jharkhand      |                   1 |                      388 |
| 8        | Karnataka      |                  54 |                     5480 |
| 9        | Madhya Pradesh |                  10 |                     3055 |
| 10       | Maharashtra    |                   2 |                     1448 |
| 11       | Odisha         |                   3 |                     2608 |
| 12       | Punjab         |                   2 |                     1506 |
| 13       | Rajasthan      |                   4 |                     3728 |
| 14       | Telangana      |                   2 |                     1410 |
| 15       | Uttar Pradesh  |                 112 |                     8356 |
| 16       | West Bengal    |                  60 |                      892 |
| 17       | Delhi          |                  44 |                     3060 |
|          | Total          |                 314 |                    42383 |

Source: AWP&B, 2016-17