There are many schools in cities where food served through the mid-day meal scheme is being wasted as their students regularly bring their own tiffin. In Nagpur, some schools are forced to provide food daily to a majority of their students because the current rules do not give them an option. Many children just take the food with them in polythene bags and either throw it in garbage or give it to beggars on the street.
A city school principal said, "In my school almost 95% children don't want the food as they are bringing own tiffin. Still, I can't discontinue providing meals as I will face disciplinary action if I do so. I have made it clear that the cooked food should leave the school premises with the student if they don't want to eat it here. I am sure, most them just throw it away. It is sad to see so much food being wasted."
The Central Government's mid-day meal scheme covers almost 12 crore students across India. The scheme is mandatory for every school that receives grant from the government. Food is served to students from Std I-VIII with each child getting 150 grams total every day.
According to sources in the education department, there are about 5 lakh students in about 3,700 schools in Nagpur district who receive meals under the scheme. Schools have to send in their requisitions for rations every month to a designated government official. He delivers them the required foodgrains. However, this rationing is done on the basis of total students enrolled and no student can opt out.
"We send the requisition as sometimes due to holidays or students being absent, there is always some quantity carried forward. We hope in the near future we can requisition according to students' needs," a principal said.
During the recently concluded state assembly session, education minister Rajendra Darda said his department was consulting with the Central government if the scheme could be made optional. Darda said the data could be had by asking students to given an option. Jaspal Saluja, principal of Guru Nanak High school, said, "It is a great initiative by Darda and will ensure only needy students benefited from the scheme. In fact the food saved in the cities can be used to provide extra ration to needy students."
However, there are many schools in the city that do need the scheme. Michael Morde, principal of Mecosabagh Methodist High school, said, "Ours is a private school but the students are mostly from slums. Hence mid-day meals are needed. There are civic body run schools that require mid-day meals." The state is yet to receive a reply from the Central government on making the scheme optional.
A city school principal said, "In my school almost 95% children don't want the food as they are bringing own tiffin. Still, I can't discontinue providing meals as I will face disciplinary action if I do so. I have made it clear that the cooked food should leave the school premises with the student if they don't want to eat it here. I am sure, most them just throw it away. It is sad to see so much food being wasted."
The Central Government's mid-day meal scheme covers almost 12 crore students across India. The scheme is mandatory for every school that receives grant from the government. Food is served to students from Std I-VIII with each child getting 150 grams total every day.
According to sources in the education department, there are about 5 lakh students in about 3,700 schools in Nagpur district who receive meals under the scheme. Schools have to send in their requisitions for rations every month to a designated government official. He delivers them the required foodgrains. However, this rationing is done on the basis of total students enrolled and no student can opt out.
"We send the requisition as sometimes due to holidays or students being absent, there is always some quantity carried forward. We hope in the near future we can requisition according to students' needs," a principal said.
During the recently concluded state assembly session, education minister Rajendra Darda said his department was consulting with the Central government if the scheme could be made optional. Darda said the data could be had by asking students to given an option. Jaspal Saluja, principal of Guru Nanak High school, said, "It is a great initiative by Darda and will ensure only needy students benefited from the scheme. In fact the food saved in the cities can be used to provide extra ration to needy students."
However, there are many schools in the city that do need the scheme. Michael Morde, principal of Mecosabagh Methodist High school, said, "Ours is a private school but the students are mostly from slums. Hence mid-day meals are needed. There are civic body run schools that require mid-day meals." The state is yet to receive a reply from the Central government on making the scheme optional.
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