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Guidelines of National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education, launched in August, 1995
[Mid-Day Meal Scheme]
Objective
1. The programme is intended to give a boost to universalisation of primary education, by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously impacting on nutrition of students in primary classes.
Coverage
2. The programme will cover, in a phased manner, commencing from 1995-96, all Government, local body and Government-aided primary schools in all the States and Union Territories (UTs).
3. In 1995-96, the programme will commence in all the 2368 Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS)/Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) blocks and 40 Low Female Literacy (LFL) blocks. In States like Punjab which do not have EAS/RPDS blocks the programme will commence in LFL blocks, i.e. blocks having female literacy rates lower than the national average. In States and UTs such as Goa, Delhi, Pondicherry and Chandigarh , which do not have RPDS or LFL blocks, primary schools in notified slums would be covered. In 1996-97, the programme will be extended to all the remaining 2005 LFL blocks, with female literacy lower than the national average. In 1997-98, the programme will be extended to all other primary schools.
4. The Central Government will assist the local bodies authorities such as Panchayats and Nagarpalikas in implementing the programme by providing from the nearest Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns wheat/rice (as may be required) at the rate of 100 grams per student per day free of cost. The broad principles of allocation of foodgrains will be as follows:
Movement of Foodgrains
5. The District Collector will be responsible for collection from the FCI godown and arranging transportation of foodgrains and distribution thereof to the local bodies/schools based on the entitlement of individual schools.
6. Linkages would have to be developed between FCI and the schools in each district to ensure smooth flowing of foodgrains.
7. The Central Government will reimburse through District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) for rural areas and to Nagarpalikas, transportation cost for moving the foodgrains from the FCI godowns to the schools/villages at the rate of Rs.50/- per quintal as applicable under the RPDS.
8. The Central support in the form of free foodgrains and reimbursement of transportation cost from the nearest godown of Food Corporation of Indian would be available to the districts directly on the basis of district-wise details of enrolment and attendance furnished by the State Government.
Implementing Agencies
9. The implementing agencies of the programme will be local bodies/authorities such as Panchayats and Nagarpalikas.
10. Local bodies will
have the flexibility to organize the provision of cooked/pre-cooked food
by the schools or in association with the school parent-teacher
committees, non-government organizations, women/DWACRA Groups and other
organizations. 11. Local bodies will also have the flexibility to decide the type of food to be provided subject to the food being wholesome and having a calorific value equivalent to 100 grams of wheat/rice per student per day. To ensure that this stipulation is adhered to, both in letter and spirit, appropriate supervisory mechanisms will have to be established by the local bodies.
12. Local bodies are expected to develop institutional arrangements for providing cooked/pre-cooked food within a period of two years from the date of commencement of the programme in the local area. However, in the interim period, as a prelude to the provision of cooked/pre-cooked food in the schools, foodgrains at the rate of 3 kgs. per student per month may be distributed to all the children of classes I to V subject to a minimum attendance of 80 per cent.
Labour Charges
13. Remuneration for conversion of foodgrains into cooked food as well as expenditure incurred on construction of kitchen sheds, the latter wherever necessary, will be eligible for coverage under the poverty alleviation scheme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Supervision and Monitoring
14. Local bodies/authorities should set up Committees such as Village Education Committees (VECs) with broad popular participation to create an awareness of the programme, to generate community support to the programme, to universalize participation of all children in primary education, to improve the functioning and environment of the schools and to ensure that the scheme functions in terms of the broad objectives it seeks to achieve.
15. At the District level, the programme may be overseen by a Committee under the Chairmanship of the District Collector. The Committee should include people’s representatives like MPs. MLAs, Presidents of Zila Parishads/Panchayat Samitis, Chairman of Nagarpalikas and also officials of the concerned Departments. This Committee should, inter alia, create awareness, facilitate and monitor the implementation of the programme and foster linkages with other related programmes like the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), primary education and school health. Similar committees should be set up at Panchayat Samitis/Blocks.
16. At the state level, a department may be designed as the department responsible for implementation of the programme. In case the designated department is other than the Education Department, strong linkages need to be developed between the designated department and the Primary Education Department. Towards this end it is suggested that an institutional mechanism of a Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary/Additional Chief Secretary/Development Commissioner be constituted to oversee the implementation of the programme. The Committee should include the Secretaries and Heads of Departments of all the concerned Departments. The Committee could also ensure and look after the convergence of primary education, primary health care, early childhood care and education, nutrition and other related services.
17. For proper monitoring of the programme, a computerized management information system is being developed by the Department of Education, Government of India in consultation with the National Informatics Centre. Till this system is operationalised, states are requested to ensure adequate information flows for smooth implementation of the programme.
18. For proper monitoring of the programme, a computerized management information system is being developed by the Department of Education, Government of India in consultation with the National Informatics Centre. Till this system is operationalised, states are requested to ensure adequate information flows for smooth implementation of the programme.
Details to be furnished to Government of India
19. For facilitating the operation of the programme, state governments are requested to furnish a scheme with the following details to the Department of Education, Government of India:
I) The names of the RPDS/EAS/LFL blocks/Local Bodies/authorities or notified urban slums that will be covered by the programme. II) The number of primary schools in these blocks/areas/slums category-wise, namely, government, local body and government-aided. III) The number of children enrolled in these schools in classes I-V. IV) The number of school days month wise during the current academic year i.e. 1995-96. V) The quantity of foodgrains required per school (in tones/quintals) at the rate of 100 grams per child per day. Quantities to be indicated block wise separately for rice and wheat or of a combination of both. In case distribution of foodgrains as an interim arrangement, the requirement should be on the basis of 3 kgs. per month per child. Distribution of foodgrains would be subject to 80 per cent attendance per month by the child. VI) Linkages between the local bodies/authorities and the RPDS. The arrangements for lifting the foodgrains to be indicated. VII) The names and addressed of the DRDAs. VIII) In case arrangements are readily available for preparation and distribution of cooked food, the details thereof. IX) The name of the Department which will be responsible for implementation of the programme.
20. The State Governments/UTs should furnish to the Department of Education, Government of India monthly attendance figures in classes I to V, district wise and school-wise.
21. As the payment for the foodgrains supplied is to be made to the Food Corporation of India by the Department of Education, Government of India, the States/UTs should furnish to the Department of Education, Government of India monthly statement certifying the quantity of wheat/rice lifted from the FCI godowns. This statement will be cross-examined with the off-take figures received from the FCI. They should also furnish the details regarding the quantity of foodgrains transported every month to the schools/villages for reimbursing the cost of transportation to the DRDAs/Nagarpalikas.
22. Details of expenditure incurred on conversion of foodgrains into cooked/pre-cooked food such as remuneration for cooks/helpers and expenditure on construction of kitchen sheds, wherever necessary, may be reported to the Ministry of Rural Development through proper channels for purpose of their coverage under the poverty alleviation programmes of that Ministry
Existing Schemes
23. Local Bodies in States and UTs already implementing a Mid-day Meal programme would be eligible for Central support in accordance with these guidelines; it is, however, desirable that the States shift the expenditure reimbursed by the Government of India for the school nutrition programme to other programmes in elementary education.
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