The government schools in most districts of J&K have run short of dry food grains after the School Education Department served dry ration of the Mid Day Meals (MDM) to the students during the COVID-19 lockdown period from 23rd March to 30th November 2020.
A circular issued by the Directorate of SamagraShiksha J&K states that the department served dry ration to 8,37,445 students for 189 days wherein around 1.35 lakh additional students were covered against the figure approved in Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting by the Ministry of Education.
The PAB had approved only 7,01,761 students to be served meals in the schools.
“Due to this, there is a shortfall of food grains in almost all districts of J&K,” the circular reads.
As already reported, the department started distribution of dry MDM ration following the Supreme Court directions to all states and union territories (UTs).
The Education Ministry, GoI, had directed all states and UTs that besides dry ration (rice), the cost of food grains and cooking should be transferred to the beneficiary accounts.
Notably, the government resumed offline classes in all the schools from class 6th to 12th. The classes from KG to class 5th students are scheduled to resume from March 15.
In the wake of this, the project directorate of SamagraShiksha directed the school heads to resume serving cooked MDM to school children after the reopening of schools.
Meanwhile, Project Director SamagraShiksha, Arun Kumar Manhas in the fresh circular further instructed the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to issue instructions to the field functionaries to serve hot cooked meals to school children.
“The food grains should be arranged by taking loan of food grains from the concerned government ration depot or fair price shop or making some internal arrangement till the Ministry of Education, Gol allocates additional quantity of food grains for the year 2020-21,” the circular reads.
The circular states that the Supreme Court has also laid emphasis on provision of cooked meals to children to safeguard nutritional status of children as most of these children are from poor backgrounds and belong to disadvantaged sections.
“Necessary instructions issued from time to time by the J&K government and Ministry of Education, GoI to avoid the spread of COVID-19 should be strictly followed while continuation of cooked meals in schools,” the circular reads.
As per the guidelines of the MDM scheme, all the eligible children up to class 8th are provided cooked meals on all working days in government schools.
Notably, the department has been mentioned in the report of World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution of dry ration (rice) and Direct Bank Transfer (DBT) of cooking cost under the MDM among eligible students of government schools.
The WFP is a national-level report prepared to track the response of all states and union territories for providing meals to students amid COVID-19 pandemic.
The MDM is a flagship programme wherein cooked meals are provided to students from class 1st to class 8th.
The scheme aims at enhancing enrollment, retention, and attendance of students in all government schools besides improving nutritional levels of students as well.