Mid Day Meal

0
Categories : Schemes

Mid Day Meal Scheme

Introduction

The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) popularly known as Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme aimed to cover all students in classes (I-VIII) in Govt./ Govt. aided Schools & Madrasas. The MDM scheme began in 1995 with dry meals in the form of fruit bread, baked porridge, raw wheat, rice and sweet/salted Mathis.

In January 2006, the scheme was converted to provide cooked meals on a trial basis. Subsequently this scheme was extended to all Govt./Govt. aided schools and Madrasas.

The objective of the programme is to give a boost to Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) by increasing enrolment, attendance, retention and simultaneously improving the nutritional status of children in elementary classes.

Process of Plan Formulation

Cooked and whole some meal is served to eligible students. In order to ensure good quality and hygienic food following 3 reputed cooking institutes have been engaged to prepare and provide cooked meals:-

  • Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Sector-42, Chandigarh.
  • Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management, Sector-42, Chandigarh.
  • Hotel Shivalikview (CITCO), Sector-17, Chandigarh.

Besides above, 7 School Based Cluster Kitchens are also being run in Govt. Model Sr. Sec. School, Sector-10, 15, 26, 44, 47 and Govt. Model High School, Sector-38 & 42 to provide cooked food to 31 Schools.

In all 122 institutes (113 Govt. Schools, 6 Govt. Aided Schools and 3 Madarssas) have been covered under the Mid Day Meal Scheme.

Total Enrolment (2019-20)

(Govt. + LB+GA)

Madarssa/Maktab

Total

1

2

3

4

PRY.

51489

294

51783

U. PRY.

41846

133

41979

Total

90087

3248

93762

Coverage of Children/Working Days

Institutions

2019-20

PAB approval

(Per Day)

Availed MDM

(Per Day)

Target 2020-21

Primary

27000

26152

28436

Upper Primary

18000

17435

18957

In UT, Chandigarh total strength of eligible students of class 1st to 8th in respect of Govt./Govt. Aided schools and Madrasas is 93762. Approximately 45000 – 50000 meals are prepared and supplied daily in schools, which are taken by about 65000 – 70000 students because substantial numbers of student are from affluent families. Some students who have opted for MDM also bring their own Tiffin’s and takes small quantity of MDM. Thus, the meals supplied by the cooking agencies are sufficient for more number of students as compared to the numbers of meals supplied by the cooking agencies. The quantity of food is supplied as per time to time requirement of schools to avoid any wastage of food. In this regard, a study has also been got conducted from the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID).  In the report, CRRID has also stated that students of UT, Chandigarh take less MDM but improvement in overall enrollment, in retention rates, enhancing the overall nutritional of the children and social equality has been found. Thus, the coverage of children under MDMS in UT, Chandigarh is about 45-50%. However, efforts are being made by the department to improve the coverage of children by revising the MDM menu according to the taste of children. There is also an initiative to provide Sweet Flavoured Milk, once in a week to the eligible students of MDMS during 2020-21.

Funds Allocation & Expenditure

The funds allotted and expenditure incurred during the year 2019-20 is as under :

Year

Allocation

Utilization

% Utilization

2019-20

Centre Share

UT Provision (Addl)

Centre

UT

Centre

UT

Share

Total

739.86

750.00

722.45

750.00

97.65

100.00

Type of Food being Served

1. Prantha Based Menu: From Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Sector-42, Chandigarh.

Day

Menu

Monday

Prantha + Rongi

Tuesday

Prantha + Karhi Pakora

Wednesday

Prantha + Dal Chana + Palak/Ghia

Thursday

Prantha + Rajma

Friday

Prantha + Karhi Pakora

Saturday

Prantha + Mah Dal Rajmah

2.  Pulao Based Menu : Hotel Shivalik View, (CITCO), Sector-17, Chandigarh.

Day

Menu

Monday

Veg. Pulao + Aaloo Matar

Tuesday

Veg. Pulao + White Channa

Wednesday

Veg. Pulao  + Dal Rajmah

Thursday

Veg. Pulao  + Karhi Pakora

Friday

Veg. Pulao  + Mix Dal

Saturday

Veg. Pulao  + Sambhar

3. Veg. Pulao Based Menu : Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management, Sector-42, Chandigarh.

Day

Menu

Monday

Veg. Pulao + Sambhar (Dal Arhar+Veg)

Tuesday

Veg. Pulao + Karhi Pakora

Wednesday

Veg. Pulao + White Channa

Thursday

Veg. Pulao + Rajmah

Friday

Veg. Pulao + Karhi Pakora

Saturday

Veg. Pulao + Aaloo Matar Nutri

Inspectors MDM have been engaged at the cooking institutes to ensure that the cooked food is prepared by the respective cooking institutes as per the above mentioned weekly menu, besides monitoring the cooking process.

Principals/heads of the schools are deputed daily, in rotation, to supervise the cooking of MDM at the cooking institutes. They check quantity, quality of MDM and cleanliness/hygiene in the cooking area. Besides, they taste of the cooked food before it is supplied for distribution in the schools.

MDM Supervisors check the quantity and quality of MDM and also taste the same before taking delivery of it from the cooking institutes and further deliver the same in the respective schools after getting the quantity, quality and taste of MDM checked by the teacher incharge MDM.

The cooking institutes have well established system to procure cooking ingredients, devices and appointment of cooking staff. In the schools Cook-cum-Helpers are engaged by the SMCs.

Systems to ensure transparency, accountability and openness in all aspects

The management of food grains is monitored and supervised by the committee consisting of following members in a systematic manner:-

  1. The District Education Officer,
  2. The Director Health Services
  3. District Food & Supply Officer,
  4. Principal of Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools.
  5. Representative of FCI

Food-grains, after inspection by the committee, is lifted from the FCI godown located around the Chandigarh and stored in the Departmental Stores. Store keeper (MDM) maintains the record of the food-grains. He is also responsible for the issue of food-grains (rice and wheat flour) to the cooking institutes. Wheat is further supplied from departmental store to the miller. Atta is lifted from miller for delivery to the cooking institute on weekly basis and rice is lifted from the store to cooking institute on weekly basis and managed smoothly. Record of food-grains received and utilized is also maintained at the cooking institutes, which is inspected regularly by the Inspectors, MDM deployed at the cooking institutes.

Cooking of MDM and serving is regularly supervised by the Inspectors and Supervisors MDM.

Cooking Cost

Cooking cost fixed by GOI is Rs. 4.97 per meal for Primary stage children and Rs. 7.45 for upper primary stage children w.e.f 1.4.2020. This cost comprises the cost of components viz pulses, vegetables, oil and fats, salt & condiments and fuel but it does not include the cost of food-grains, labour and Administrative charges. Food-grains are provided by the GOI through FCI, the whole cost of which is born by GOI. In UT, Chandigarh, the work of preparation of MDM has been entrusted to the three reputed agencies (Govt. undertakings) viz Chandigarh Industrial & Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (CITCO), Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management (AIHM), and Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management (CIHM). The per meal cooking cost being paid to these institutes is as under:-

CITCO     Rs. 9.34 (for Primary classes)

                Rs. 12.92 (for Upper Primary classes)

AIHM       Rs. 15.02 (Both for Primary and U. Primary classes)

CIHM       Rs. 9.26 (for Primary classes)

                Rs. 11.80 (for Upper Primary classes)

Per meal cooking cost for these institutes has been so devised that it includes the cost of cooking ingredients like pulses, vegetables, oil and fats, salt & condiments and fuel, labour, Administrative and other over head charges ranging from 15 to 20% but it does not include the cost of food-grains as the same is provided free of cost to the institutes by the Education Department.

School Based Cluster Kitchens at GMSSS-10, 15, 26, 44 & 47, GMHS-38 & 42 procure cooking ingredients at their own level. Food-grains (wheat and rice) is provided by the Department. Per meal cooking cost is reimbursed to them as per norms fixed by GOI i.e. Rs. 4.97 for primary and Rs. 7.45 for upper primary w.e.f. 1.4.2020. To maintain the books of MDM one organizer has also been provided to incharge of each kitchen.

School Health Programme

Health Department of Chandigarh Administration is taking due cares in this regard from time to time with Health Checkups, IFA & De-worming Tablets distributions, Awareness Activities for prevention & to control the Diarrhoea, Malaria & Dengue etc.

Monitoring

There is only one District in UT, Chandigarh and the present monitoring structure is as under:-

All the HCS/PCS Officers working in Chandigarh Administration and Senior Officers of Education Department monitor the MDM activities.

Senior Officers monitor the implementation of MDM programme at the Cooking Institutes and Schools. They check the taste, quality, quantity of MDM and hygiene.

School Management committees monitor the implementation of MDM programme in the schools.

Four committees consisting of Cluster heads, SMC members and NGOs also monitor the MDM activities at the schools and MDM kitchens.

Department has engaged one Inspector for each kitchen for monitoring the cooking of MDM. 20 Supervisors MDM are engaged who go with the mini trucks to ensure hygienic delivery of cooked meals in the Schools. The MDM is handed over to the Teacher Incharge of MDM in  the School who check and taste the quantity and quality.

The MDM is distributed to the students in the class rooms by the cook-cum helpers engaged for the purpose, in the presence of Teachers. Teachers also taste the MDM in the class rooms before its distribution.

Capacity Building

The staff employed in cooking institutes is having the requisite qualifications and well conversant in the field. Training is given to the persons involved in MDM programme by the cooking institutes. Further, quality and hygiene standard are as per the requirements to be maintained by any accredited food institute. Training to the cook-cum-helpers engaged in the schools for serving of MDM is given by the experts.

Testing of Cooked Food

To ensure the nutritive value of cooked food, Education Department has got food testing done by Health Department of UT, Chandigarh by analyzing the cooked food samples.

Fortification of Foodgrain & Salt

Education Department is using fortified foodgrains with Iron, Folic Acid & Vitamin B12 and Double Fortified Salt with Iron & Folic Acid under Mid Day Meal Scheme. Wheat is fortified at the time of milling of wheat at Flour Mill/Atta Chakki. Rice is fortified by the store staff at department store at GMHS-22 for the use of school based cluster kitchens. Centralized cooking institutes fortified the rice at their own in their cooking institutes for which blending machines & Fortified Rice Kernels are provided to them by the Education Department alongwith supply of rice.

Grievance Redressal System

Feedback from the students is taken on the proforma devised by the department to redress complaints of the students and improve quality of the MDM.

To redress the grievances of the parents a toll free helpline no. 1800-180-2053 & 0172-5021697 has been introduced which is displayed at the Schools.

Mechanized transportation has been introduced to ensure timely delivery of hot cooked meals in Schools.

Retired/experienced/matured persons have been engaged.

  • To monitor/supervise the quality, quantity and hygiene of cooked meals.
  • To delivery of hot cooked food in the schools.
  • To get feedback from students and schools.

Quality of MDM is got checked from the Health Department. Besides this, surprise inspections are also carried out by HCS/PCS officers. Senior officers of Education Department also monitor the quality, hygiene and process of cooking, delivery of MDM from the centralized kitchens and school based kitchens.

Attachment Size
PDF icon Social Audit Report of Mid Day Meal 4.91 MB

Copyright © 2017 Department Of Education Chandigarh Administration. All Rights Reserved.