State fails to check food quality despite MHRD’s concern
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 24: Notwithstanding the repeated concerns of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, J&K has continued its poor performance in the implementation of Mid Day Meal Scheme. Even during the current financial year the Ministry has expressed anguish over the sluggishness on the part of the School Education Department of the State Government by pointing out several deficiencies.
“Though the performance of State has improved in the areas of utilization of food grains, payment to the Food Corporation of India, transportation allowances, availability of drinking water and toilets, the performance has decreased in coverage of children (average number of children availing Mid-Day Meal Scheme), working days, cooking cost utilization and honorarium paid to cook-cum-helpers”, said Arnab Dhaki, Under Secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy of HRD Ministry in an official document released few days back.
The HRD Ministry has expressed concern over the issue of low coverage of children especially in the districts of Anantnag, Shopian, Ganderbal, Ramban, Kulgam, Kathua, Kishtwar, Pulwama, Rajouri, Samba, Jammu, Poonch, Udhampur, Bandipora, Doda, Srinagar, Reasi and Kupwara. This indicates that J&K’s performance vis-à-vis coverage of children is satisfactory only in respect of four districts out of total 22 districts.
The School Education Department has attributed this to paucity of funds and late receipt of funds from the State Finance Department at the school level during the current financial year. While expressing serious concern over delay of three to four months in release of funds at the level of State Finance Department, the HRD Ministry has directed that the State officials should ensure disbursement of funds to the schools within time bound manner—15 days from the date of release of funds by the Union Government.
It has also made it clear that the issue of withholding of Mid Day Meal Scheme funds by the State Finance Department shall be sorted out by the Chief Secretary so that maximum coverage of the children is ensured.
The Union Ministry has also noted with serious concern that J&K is laying no focus on testing of food samples so as to ensure that hygienic and nutritional food is served to the children under the Mid Day Meal Scheme. Though the School Education Department of J&K has the option of testing of food samples in convergence with the State Health Department in the absence of accredited labs but the same alternative has not been availed till date.
What to talk of testing food samples, J&K has yet not paid any attention towards the social audit of the scheme, which otherwise is a powerful mechanism for monitoring purpose. Moreover, under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, which is an initiative aimed at screening children for four Ds-Defects at Birth, Diseases, Deficiencies and Development Delays including Disabilities, J&K has failed to project an encouraging picture.
This can be gauged from the fact that health-check up of only 48% children against enrolled children has been conducted during the current financial year, which is all set to close within next few days. The HRD Ministry has expressed serious concern over less number of children receiving health check-up and de-worming medicine.
Now, the Ministry has directed J&K Government to ensure that health-check up of all the enrolled children is carried out within first three quarters of the next financial year.
The Ministry has also noted with concern that J&K has failed to start construction for 4697 kitchen-cum-stores despite repeated hammering on this issue. Out of 11815 sanctioned kitchen-cum-stores, 7118 (60%) have been constructed till date and in remaining 4697 (40%) the construction work could not be started and the same has been attributed to high cost of construction.
Observing that funds for kitchen-cum-stores could not be used by the State Government in time bound manner, the Ministry has advised the State to disburse the funds before December of every year failing which no more funds would be released to J&K for construction of kitchen-cum-stores. “We won’t sanction funds for this purpose to J&K till the completion of the sanctioned 4697 kitchen-cum-stores”, the Ministry has made it clear.
The Ministry has further made it clear that no more funds would be released to J&K till procurement of 2577 kitchen devises, which were sanctioned for the current financial year. Out of 22843 sanctioned kitchen-devises, 20266 have been procured till date and remaining 2577 are yet to be procured by the School Education Department.
The HRD Ministry has also expressed concern over non-delivery of food grains at school door step, low coverage of working days, irregular payment of honorarium to cook-cum-helpers and low utilization of LPG etc.
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