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.
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.
