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NEWS ALERTS | Blame poor hygiene not MDMS
Blame poor hygiene not MDMS

Blame poor hygiene not MDMS

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published Published on Jul 19, 2013   modified Modified on Jul 20, 2013
Just when the country is getting ready to expand the Right to Food for all, the recent deaths of school children in two districts of Bihar (Chhapra and Madhubani) have raised many uncomfortable question about our standards of cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene in and around the kitchens being run under the Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS). These, and many more anomalies, have been brought out by a recent report titled "MDMS Annual Work Plan and Budget 2013-14," produced by the Government of Bihar. (For full report and many more such studies please see the links below). The deaths could have been averted if only the report was taken seriously.

As per the Economic Survey 2012-13, nearly 10.54 crore children (7.18 crore in primary and 3.36 crore in upper primary stages) benefited under the programme during 2011-12. Rs. 13,215 crore was earmarked for the MDMS in the 2013-14 Union budget as compared to Rs. 11,937 crore in 2012-13.

Despite receiving Central assistance, the state of Bihar was unable to provide adequate kitchen-cum-store in schools during the past 7 years (2006-07 to 2012-13). Physical infrastructure deficit in terms of construction of kitchen-cum-store in schools during these years touched its nadir in districts of Begusarai (59%), Madhepura (54%), Sheohar (44.8%), East Champaran (42.5%), Sitamarhi (39.9%), Gopalganj (37.5%), Muzaffarpur (34.6%), Siwan (33.2%) and Patna (33.9%).  

The above-mentioned report also speaks about the dearth of kitchen devices in schools of various districts. In the district of Chhapra, which witnessed the tragedy associated with poisonous mid day meal, physical infrastructure deficit (between 2006-07 and 2012-13) in terms of kitchen devices amounted to 16.9%. On the same, the situation is even worse in districts like Bhagalpur (46.9%), Siwan (36.2%) and Begusarai (32.3%).

It is important to mention that under the Right to Education Act, schools must have kitchen-cum-store and kitchen devices. There are other reports too, which indicates increasing laxity on the part of Government. A survey study of MDMS in 4 districts of Bihar namely Darbhanga, Saharsa, Sheohar and Sitamarhi by the prestigious AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna found that most schools lack pucca kitchen shed-cum-store due to which  food items were cooked and kept under thatched kitchen shed or in the open places or in a separate classroom. Adequate number of utensils was not available in majority of the sampled schools of the districts. Roster was not maintained by the community members for supervision of the MDM in any of the sampled schools of the given districts.

During the meeting of Programme Approval Board (PAB) held on 23 April, 2013, it was mentioned that children, parents and community members were not happy with quality of food supplied under the MDMS. Most schools often served average quality of food items in unhygienic condition. Food was cooked and kept in open and dirty ground.

The Mid Day Meal (MDM) programme is being implemented in Bihar since January 2005. At present, 1,47,69,590 children enrolled in primary schools and 52,86,976 children enrolled in upper primary schools are covered under the MDMS in 40,522 primary schools and 29,716 in Upper Primary School comprising government and government aided, AIE Centres, Madarsas/ Maqtaba.

The PAISA District Surveys on MDMS (June, 2013) found that in Nalanda district, 59% cook-cum-helpers (CCH) were paid once in 6 months. In Purnea, 38% CCH received their salaries once in 6 month. Therefore, the incentive to cook good and safe food was low.

References

Appraisal Note on Bihar MDMS, http://mdm.nic.in/Files/PAB/PAB2013-14/Bihar/Appraisal_Not
e_bihar_New.pdf


Minutes of the Programme Approval Board (PAB) Meetings,
http://mdm.nic.in/Files/PAB/PAB2013-14/Bihar/Bihar_PAB_Min
utes.PDF

 
 
 
 
Annual Work Plan and Budget 2013-14, tables in excel sheet (click here)

Annual Work Plan Budget 2013-14, power point presentation (click here)

Minutes of the meeting of Programme Approval Board held on 23 April, 2013,
http://mdm.nic.in/Files/PAB/PAB2013-14/Bihar/Bihar_PAB_Min
utes.PDF

 
Presentation by AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies (click here)

PAISA District Surveys on MDMS (June 2013),
http://mdm.nic.in/Files/OrderCirculars/Final_PAISA_MDM_Rep
ort_18july_2013.pdf

 
Did govt ignore warning signals? -Akshaya Mukul, The Times of India, 18 July, 2013,
http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/did-govt-igno
re-warning-signals-akshaya-mukul-21995.html

 
Day after mid-day meal deaths, vitamin A dose kills child in Bihar -Alok Gupta, Down to Earth, 18 July, 2013, http://www.im4change.org/latest-news-updates/day-after-mid
-day-meal-deaths-vitamin-a-dose-kills-child-in-bihar-alok-
gupta-21997.html
 
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to monitor implementation of Mid Day Meal scheme in Bihar,
 
 


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