Ludhiana | Poor infrastructure, dearth of resources starving mid-day meal scheme

Staff shortage, frequent power cuts and inadequate benches emerge as commonplace problems hampering implementation of the mid-day meals scheme at government schools

Seventeen years after the Centre’s pioneering mid-day meal scheme was implemented in the state, gaping holes in infrastructure requirements and dearth of resources continue to riddle its implementation in government and government-aided schools.

Cooks preparing mid-day meals at a government school in Gaispura, Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Of late, there has been a lot of hue and cry over the nutritional value of the meals being served to the 2,07,890 students enrolled in 1,525 government schools, 56 government-aided schools, 2,443 Adarsh Schools and the one local body school in the district. However, HT has found that shortage of staff, frequent power cuts, and inadequate benches are hampering the implementation of the scheme in the district.

There are only 3,800 cooks in the district to prepare meals for the 2 lakh beneficiaries of the scheme. Earlier, meals for all schools covered under the scheme would be cooked at a single location. However, the practice was discontinued due to concerns over hygiene, and schools were asked to hire their own cooks.

Salient features of the mid-day meal scheme. (HT)

Students eat on floors

With no cap on enrolments in government schools, the institutions do not have sufficient mid-day meal staff to serve its burgeoning student population. The government schools do not have enough classrooms to accommodate students, and as such the meals are often served to students in playgrounds and corridors.

In Government High School, Giaspura, students were seen eating on dusty corridors, raising concerns regarding hygiene, and student volunteers were serving them food. After finishing the meals, students were seen cleaning after themselves, and washing their own utensils. A teacher, on condition of anonymity, said, “Since there is no space to accommodate students, we have no option but to seat them outside classes.”

Frequent power cuts are also spelling trouble for the mid-day meal staff. “We were to serve chapattis today, but could not get flour in time as the shopkeeper could not to grind the wheat for us amid a power cut. Therefore, we had to serve rice to students,” said one of the 32 cooks, who prepare food for around 4,500 students at Giaspura Primary School. The kitchens of both the primary and secondary school were clean.

Situation better in schools with low enrolment

In Government Primary School, Moti Nagar, students were seen having their food properly on benches in the two dining rooms designated for serving mid-day meal. A daily wager, Satish Kumar, whose son studies at the school, said, “I am grateful to the government for providing good quality food for my son. I can certainly not afford the same.”

Students receiving mid-day meals at a government school in Moti Nagar, Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Head teacher, Sukhdir Singh Sekhon, said, “We serve food to 470 students in two shifts so that students don’t have to sit on the floor. We ensure the food is hygienically prepared.”

Food is served as per the menu set by the education department, and the meals are nutritious and high in protein.

District education officer Jaswinder Kaur said school management committees hire cooks themselves as per their requirement. “We are committed to provide the best possible diet to students,” she said.

Political brouhaha

While visiting government schools in his constituency, AAP Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Prashar Pappi had said that students were being served a diet which was low in nutrition and assured authorities that fruits will be served to students everyday. AAP MLA from Ludhiana West Gurpreet Bassi Gogi had also raised similar concerns.

Responding to the legislators’ allegations, a senior education officer, requesting anonymity, said, “If the MLAs are dissatisfied with the manner in which the scheme is being implemented, they should take up the matter with the state government and get the menu updated after arranging more resources and funds for the scheme.”

“Most of the students studying in government schools belong to economically weaker sections and do not get food at home. Our teams conduct regular inspections to ensure quality food is served to students in a hygienic manner.”