Noon-meal scheme: Panel suggests distribution of packaged food

Monica Tiwari The Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD has asked the Ministry to consider the feasibility of providing packaged food in line with the norms and standards of the mid-day meal scheme.

New Delhi, April 28:  

Taking note of increasing complaints about the food served under the mid-day meal scheme in schools, a Parliamentary panel has suggested distribution of packaged food to children.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD has asked the Ministry to “explore the feasibility of providing packaged nutrition food in conformity with the norms and standards of the scheme”.

This may be done initially on a pilot basis in some selected districts to ascertain its viability, it suggested.

The food cooked in schools for children has come under the scanner, especially on hygiene and quality.

“... reports indicate that even in Delhi, the quality of food being served in schools was found to be wanting in norms and standards prescribed under the programme. If the situation is such in the Capital, the position in the interior could well be imagined,” the committee, headed by Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes, said.

The panel also drew the attention of the working group which had suggested roping in the Food and Nutrition Board to provide training to teachers and cook-cum-helpers and for regular monitoring of food safety among others.

One of the particular concerns of the committee was that hundreds of schools were lagging behind in meeting infrastructure requirements, including construction of kitchen-cum-stores, under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

The deadline for meeting these requirements ended on March 31.

According to Ministry reports, of 9.55 lakh kitchen-cum-stores sanctioned between 2006-07 and 2012-13, only 5.99 lakh or 63 per cent of them have been constructed.

In States such as Andhra Pradesh, only 3,077 have been put in place out of the 75,283 kitchen-cum-stores sanctioned.

“Proper kitchen-cum-stores have to be in place. Only then, it can be ensured that students are being served a good quality meal as mandated,” the committee said.

It recommended follow-up action by the State Governments for completing kitchen-cum-stores to ensure their construction at the earliest.