Mid Day Meal

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    Performance Audit on Mid Day Meal Scheme in Arunachal Pradesh (2009-2014)
    (CAG of India, 21-07-2015) CAG of India
    The ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education’, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, commonly known as ‘Mid-Day Meal’ (MDM) Scheme, was launched with the primary objective of boosting the universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention & attendance and simultaneously improving nutritional status of primary school children. Performance Audit of the scheme revealed that the Department covered all Government Primary/Upper Primary Schools (3116), Government-aided Primary/Upper Primary Schools (68) and EGS/AIE Centres (155) in the State under the scheme. However, there were deficiencies like inadequate financial management, short-lifting of food grains, delay in release of funds to schools for meeting cooking costs, inadequate infrastructural facilities in schools and lack of monitoring by the Department. Some major audit findings are highlighted below: 1. No household surveys were conducted to identify the total number of children not enrolled at the Primary stage. No attempt was also made to encourage high level of enrolment through publicity, etc. 2. In 2010-11, against GoI total allocation of 6,687.66 MT of food grains for Primary/Upper Primary level, the Department lifted only 5,928.37 MT and during 2013-14, against the allocation of 6,625.01 MT of food grains for Primary/Upper Primary levels, only 6,598.95 MT were lifted, leading to shortlifting of 785.35 MT of food grains. 3. There was a shortfall in provision of 47,360 meals due to short receipt of food grains in 137 schools. 4. In six schools of West Kameng and Lohit District, 46.61 quintals (23 per cent) of the allotted rice was issued as dry rations instead of cooked meals, violating directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. 5. In 150 test-checked schools, pucca kitchen sheds were not available in 130 (87 per cent) schools; drinking water facilities in 35 (23 per cent) schools; gasbased chullahs in 148 (99 per cent) schools; and cooking utensils in 9 (6 per cent) schools. 6. During the period 2009-14, there were persistent savings ranging from 1 per cent to 32 per cent. 7. From 2009 to 2014, there were delays ranging up to 21 months in release of Central assistance by the State Government to the Nodal Department. 8. The State Government did not contribute its share, aggregating to ₹ 12.93 crore (63.69 per cent), towards Conversion Costs, Honorarium to cooks-cum-helpers and MME costs. 9. There were deficiencies in meetings of the State, District and Block Level Monitoring Cells to monitor implementation of the scheme. 10. Findings of evaluation studies conducted by an Independent Agency to assess the impact of the scheme were not discussed by the State SMC to address the deficiencies pointed out in the Evaluation Reports.
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    Performance Audit on Mid Day Meal Scheme in Delhi (2009-2014)
    (CAG of India, 30-06-2015) CAG of India
    Mid-Day Meal Scheme is implemented independently by six implementing agencies in Delhi. The Directorate of Education is the Nodal Agency for implementation of the Scheme and coordinates with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), GoI and all other agencies. The significant audit findings are given below: Highlights 1. Out of 18000 children studying in Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education centres supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, only 1154 children were covered during the period 2013-14. (Paragraph 2.1.2.1) 2. The enrolment, attendance and retention of children in schools could not be enhanced. In selected primary schools, the average attendance decreased from 74 per cent in 2009-10 to 66 per cent in 2013-14. (Paragraphs 2.1.4.1 & 2.1.4.3) 3. Mid day meals were not served on the prescribed number of days in both Primary and Upper Primary Schools. Out of 2102 samples of cooked meals, a total of 1876 samples (89 per cent) failed tests for nutritive value during 2010-14. (Paragraph 2.1.5.2 (ii) & (iii)) 4. Service providers did not obtain mandatory license from the Food Safety Department and were running their kitchens without 'NOCs' from civic agencies and Fire Department. (Paragraph 2.1.5.2 (iv))
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    Performance Audit on Implementation of Mid Day Meal Scheme (2009-2014)
    (CAG of India, 18-12-2015) CAG of India
    The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (Mid Day Meal Scheme) was launched in August 1995 to boost universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance simultaneously impacting on the nutrition levels of children. The scheme lays emphasis on providing cooked meals with minimum 300 calories and 8-12 grams of proteins and adequate quantities of micronutrients. The scheme was extended to children studying in upper primary classes from 2008-09. The scheme was earlier reviewed by us in 2007 and the results were included in the CAG’s Audit Report No. 13 of 2008 tabled in Parliament in October 2008. The Public Accounts Committee (15th Lok Sabha), in its Ninth Report (subsequently, 28th Report) on CAG’s Report No. 13 of 2008 of Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDM Scheme) had made a number of recommendations. The current audit inter-alia looked into whether the Government has taken appropriate actions on the recommendations. Important findings of this Performance Audit Report are given below: The enrolment of children in the MDM Scheme covered schools registered a consistent decline over the years from 14.69 crore children in 2009-10 to 13.87 crore children in 2013-14. In contrast, the enrolment of children in private schools witnessed an increase of 38 per cent from ₹ 4.02 crore to ₹ 5.53 crore during the same period indicating that Mid Day Meal (MDM) in itself was not a sufficient condition to retain children in schools, and that here is a growing section of society seeking better quality in education. (Para No. 2.2) It is time to realise that providing meal is a means to an end, serving the larger purpose of education. Clear trends were noticed, which demonstrated that the meal served its purpose only when the expectations of parents, with respect to good education for their wards, was fulfilled. (Para No. 2.2)