The Centre on Thursday notified the Mid-Day Meal Rules, 2015 linking them to the provisions under the Food Security Act 2013, which entitles the citizens to food allowance in case the State is unable or fails to provide food grains.
The new Mid-Day Meal scheme by HRD Ministry seeks to fix responsibility on persons for non-supply of food for three consecutive school days or five days in a month. It also seeks to improve efficiency in implementation by plugging loopholes, checking irregularities and ensuring quality of food served.
On the Food Security Allowance, it says, “If mid-day meal is not provided in school on any school day due to non-availability of food grains, cooking cost, fuel or absence of cook-cum-helper or any other reason, the State Government shall pay Food Security Allowance by 15th of the succeeding month.” The allowance will be fixed based on quantity of food grain supplied as per entitlement of a child and the cooking cost prevailing in the State.
In case of non-supply of meal by the centralised kitchen, food security allowance will be realised from the centralised kitchen. However, if a child has not taken food on offer for whatever reasons, no claim of food security allowance would be made available.
The headmaster or headmistress of the school will be empowered to utilise any fund available in school for continuation of the mid-day meal programme in case of temporary unavailability of food grains, cooking cost etc.
“The utilised fund shall be reimbursed to the school account immediately after receipt of mid day meal funds,” the rules said.
The notification also says food should be mandatorily tested by accredited labs each month for quality and nutrition under new rules notified by the Government.
The move for tests came against the backdrop of frequent complaints of sub-standard food being distributed under the Mid-Day Meal programme that covers roughly 12 crore students across the country.
The Food and Drugs Administration Department of the State will be engaged to collect samples to ensure the nutritive value and quality of the meals.
Keeping in mind that unhygienic conditions have proved counterproductive to the programme, the rules stated that every school shall have the facility for cooking meals in hygienic manner.