Sir — This refers to the news report, “Darkness shrouds mid-day” (July 18).
The tragic death of 22 children who were fed contaminated food, is appalling and a matter of shame. The terrible incident has exposed the shocking lapse on the part of those entrusted with the task to oversee the proper implementation and monitoring of the mid-day meal scheme.
In a country where nearly half the population of children is undernourished and struggles to go to school, providing free-meal scheme bolsters school enrollment, eliminates hunger and illiteracy among the poor masses. It also enables children from diverse backgrounds to share a meal together and thus bury social prejudices.
The scheme reportedly reaches out to almost 120 million children in schools across the length and breadth of India. However, this laudable effort, like the other fancy schemes of the Congress-led UPA Government, is marred by corruption and shoddy implementation.
Though the Government talks big about economic growth, equity, social justice and progress, it has failed miserably to improve the basic conditions in Government schools across the country, from where the nation’s future generation will emerge.