Facing flak recently for providing substandard quality of food to students under Centrally-sponsored mid-day meal scheme, Punjab Government has now decided to run the scheme with the help of the non-government organisations (NGOs) in five districts. The decision, as a pilot project, would be implemented in the schools falling in the municipal limits of Mohali, Sangrur, Moga, Bhatinda and Nawanshahr.
“As a pilot project, in the schools falling in municipal limits of Mohali, Sangrur, Moga, Bhatinda and Nawanshahr, the scheme is implemented through NGOs so that the teachers could devote their full time in teaching,” said Punjab Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka.
He said that the concerned officers have already been directed to ensure quality and quantity before lifting the food-grains. “They would be held responsible if any complaint received regarding the quality of food grains. No laxity would be tolerated in this regard,” he added.
Despite depressing reports regarding unhealthy and poor quality of food served under the scheme in many Punjab schools, the State has bagged second position in implementing mid-day meal scheme across the country.
“Under the mid-day meal scheme, over 19 lakh students are covered during current financial year which include 13,723 primary schools and 6,656 upper primary schools of Punjab,” said Maluka.
He said that the Government has provided an amount of `275.81 crore under the mid-day meal scheme for cooking cost, food grain, transportation of food grain and honorarium to cook-cum-helper and management.
“Besides, `8.60 crore have also been provided for utensils in all the government and government aided schools of the state… Mid-day meal scheme is being implemented efficiently in the schools of state and students are being provided with a balanced diet for lunch in all the primary and upper primary schools,” he added.