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Mid-day meal scheme: Govt fails to release grains, Ludhiana schools forced to purchase from their own pockets
In Ludhiana, 1.2 lakh students, studying in 1,536 government schools, are covered under the mid-day meal scheme.
With the state government failing to ensure timely release of food grains for the mid-day meal scheme, over 50 government schools in the district are having to purchase food grains from the market on their own.
The grains have to be allocated to the schools on a quarterly basis and it is the duty of the government agency concerned to ensure its timely delivery but most schools have not received the food grains since October. Many school heads say they last received the food grains in July and it is now becoming difficult for them to run the mid-day meal scheme.
Schools principals say they have informed the mid-day meal department in the district education office regarding the shortage of food grains but so far, nothing has been done.
In Machhiwara 1 block, of the 60 primary schools, 30 schools are facing shortage of food grains. Block primary education officer Kulwant Singh says he has asked the agency to deliver the food grains —wheat and rice— to the schools at the earliest.
SHORT OF FUNDS TOO
What is adding to the schools’ woes is that they have also fallen short of the funds in their mid-day meal accounts. School heads say they are purchasing vegetables, milk and other commodities on credit basis. The state government had released ₹5.5 crore to the district on October 15 with which schools had managed to clear the old dues.
A school head requesting anonymity, said, “The authorities must send the food grains in advance so that schools can run the scheme effectively. We are facing many problems as the nearby schools also do not have grains to lend and so we are forced to purchase food grains from the market. The cooking cost should also be released in advance as it is becoming difficult for us to contribute funds from our own pocket especially since the prices of vegetables such as onions and tomatoes are also skyrocketing.”
In Ludhiana, 1.2 lakh students, studying in 1,536 government schools, are covered under the mid-day meal scheme.
Prabcharan Singh, general manager of the state mid-day meal cell, SAS Nagar, said, “The funds are with the state treasury department and as soon as we get it, we will transfer the cooking cost to the districts.”
