Joint team to review Bengal Mid-Day Meal scheme

Following the case of a snake being found in a mid-day meal, Union Minister of State for Education Subhash Sarkar launched a joint mission along with 13 central team members to conduct a review of the mid-day meal scheme in West Bengal starting Monday.

Following the case of a snake being found in a mid-day meal, Union Minister of State for Education Subhash Sarkar launched a joint mission along with 13 central team members to conduct a review of the mid-day meal scheme in West Bengal starting Monday. Speaking to ANI the minister said that the joint review mission consisting of Union Education ministry officials, one nutritionist, and one representative of Unicef along with the director of PM Poshan Scheme V Bhaskar held a high-level meeting with state education department officials.

"The team will visit 5 districts and review their functioning in 33 parameters. We have already released Rs 842 crore to the state under this scheme, now the state has to contribute 40 per cent. This review is being conducted for the betterment of the children," he said. The minister told that the 13th Joint Review Mission (JRM) would visit West Bengal from January 30 to February 6, 2023.

"This mission is going to work regarding the mid-day meal being given in schools so that the quality of mid-day meals can be improved in the state. JRM will review the implementation of the scheme at the state, district and school levels for a specified period on defined parameters," the minister said. Sarkar further said that the terms of reference of the Joint Review Mission are--Review of fund flow from the state to the schools/implementing agencies, the System of storage of food grains and other materials, the Role of teachers in planning, Review of the availability of management structure in the state up to district and block level, Review of the distribution system of food grains from the state to the schools, Review of the smooth implementation of the scheme with special reference to the bottlenecks, Review creation of capital assets, Construction of kitchen-cum-stores, purchase/replacement of kitchen equipment, review involvement of NGOs/Trusts/centralized kitchens in the scheme and to review the implementation of the automated monitoring system.

It also includes convergence with the National Child Health Program for health check-ups, Supply of micronutrients under WIFS and deworming under National Deworming Day and health check-ups and supply of spectacles to children suffering from refractive errors, Publicity of food safety guidelines to district, block and school with Enrollment of children and cook-cum-helpers under Aadhaar, Payment of honorarium to cook cum assistants etc is also included, the minister said. (ANI)

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