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Eyebrows raised over quality of mid-day meals
THE MUCH hyped mid-day meal scheme is yet to prove its worth for primary schoolchildren in Allahabad division, as eyebrows have been raised over the quality of food.
THE MUCH hyped mid-day meal scheme is yet to prove its worth for primary schoolchildren in Allahabad division, as eyebrows have been raised over the quality of food.
At most of the primary schools in Allahabad district, the mid-day meals are prepared by 9 am, but they are served only at around 2 pm.
It is reported that the prepared meal is kept in a corner of the school building for several hours.
The students themselves serve the meal at around 2 pm said Rekha, one of the teachers at primary school at Kaundhiara in trans-Yamuna area.
Rameshwar Prasad Singh, headmaster at a primary school situated in Holagarh development block, said: "We cannot do anything about the mid-day meal.
However, the quality of the food is poor.'' Rupa, a class IV student of same school, said that she did not depend on this meal because it is not good. "I bring my food from home for lunch", she disclosed.
Director of Basic Education Allahabad Division, Ram Saran Singh said that this scheme had proved quite beneficial in increasing enrollment of students in rural areas. As the panchayat elections were over now the scheme has once again started attracting students.
However, he admitted that complaints regarding using inferior quality foodgrains for cooking mid-day meal have been received.
Action was being contemplated against the guilty. He said that the cost per student under the mid-day meal scheme was Re one only which is likely to be raised to Rs. 2 to ensure nutritious and tasty food for the students.
Meanwhile, all the gram pradhans have been ordered to purchase one gas connection for mid-day meal scheme under the Sampoorn Gram Rozgar Yojna.
According to Chief Development Officer, Narendra Shankar Mishra, gram pradhans have been asked to get one gas connection for mid-day meal.
This would help in preparation of meal on time. Presently, the meals are cooked with the help of firewood which causes several problems.
There are around 5000 primary schools in Allahabad division comprising of Pratapgarh, Kaushambi and Fatehpur districts where the meal scheme has been implemented.
