Use food cooked in jails for mid-day meal: MHRD

Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 19

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has recommended to all union territories of India under the Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting to use food cooked in prisons by inmates for mid-day meals in schools.

Besides, the MHRD has also asked all UTs to use food prepared in temples and gurdwaras for the purpose. The idea of including food cooked in jails in mid-day meals has been drawn from a kitchen at the Burail Jail that has been serving food to as many as 100 anganwadi centres and 46 creches in government schools since 2017. The ministry aims at achieving an enhanced sense of ownership of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme among the local community.

At present, three institutes – Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Sector 42, Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management, Sector 42, and Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO), Sector 17, — are providing mid-day meal to 123 government and aided schools in Chandigarh. Besides, seven cluster-based kitchens are located at the GMSSS-10, 15, 26, 44, 47 and the GMHS-38 and 42.

Social audit to identify gaps in scheme

In 2018-19 PAB, the issue of no social audit being conducted in UTs was raised by the HRD ministry. Based on the social audits carried out in Uttarakhand and Tripura in 2018-19, the Centre has also proposed it to be implemented in all union territories. A social audit is the process in which people collectively monitor and evaluate the planning and implementation of a programme or scheme. The social audit is aimed at ensuring accountability and participation of all stakeholders in the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. It will also enable the state governments to identify and resolve gaps in the implementation of the scheme.

Why low score

• Though the MHRD had approved 10 cluster kitchen-cum-stores for Chandigarh two years ago, the construction of three kitchen-cum-stores is still pending. Seven have been constructed by adding additional UT share. In PAB 2019-20, Chandigarh had sought financial assistance from the Centre for the three kitchens.
• The percentage of elementary schoolchildren taking mid-day meal against target approved in PAB in government and aided schools was low because children in urban areas belong to affluent families and bring their own tiffin. This is also one of the reasons why food grain utilisation is affected.

Chandigarh budget aprroved by centre

PAB approval for FY 2018-19 Rs 761.61 lakh

Proposal for FY 2019-20 Rs 737.35 lakh

Recommendation for FY - 2019-20 Rs 726.45 lakh