Regularity in serving MDM

2. Regularity in serving MDM • No interruption in serving of Mid Day Meal was noticed in all visited schools. • Children were happy with the quantity of MDM. • There is no proper feedback mechanism to ensure the quality of the taste as well as food.

3. Foodgrains • The quality of foodgrain was not good in some of the visited schools i.e. broken rice etc. It was not matching with the samples availbale at the SFC and district office. • Buffer stock of one month of rice was not maintained in about 30% schools. • In about 20% of the visited schools the foodgrains were borrowed in case of non availability (10 to 15 days in general). • The delivery of foodgrains at the school level is an area of concern in the hilly districts of Tehri and Nainital where 40% and 28% schools have not received foodgrains at the door steps of schools.

4. Cooking cost • All the schools received cooking cost in advance in district Udham Singh Nagar, whereas in Tehri 30% schools did not get the cooking cost in advance. • The grant is transferred to the joint A/C of Head teacher and President of the concerning SMC. • The head teachers / teachers of the school procure the oil, condiments, and fuel etc.

5. MIS • Currently no MIS system at any level in the state. All information is being collected and compiled manually at all levels. • All data related to MDM i.e. stock of food grains, cooking cost and other expenses are maintained by the head teacher in a register which is available in every school. • The other material related to MDM i.e. water tank, grain bins, cooking utensils and devices etc. are maintained in a stock register. • A school level format for collection of monthly data is filled by every school and is collected at block level through CRCs.

6. Infrastructure facilities • Almost 50% of the visited schools do not have proper kitchen sheds. • In about 80% of the visited schools the grains are stored in the class rooms of the schools or in the head teachers office. • In 30% of the sample schools in hill districts of Tehri and Nainital the potable water facility is not available in the school premises.

7. Infrastructure facilities • All the schools have adequate cooking utensils. • Eating utensils were also available to all the students in the visited schools. • Fire wood is used as fuel in most of the visited schools. • Menu was displayed in 90% schools in Nainital and Tehri and in 72% schools in Udham Singh Nagar.

8. Cook cum helpers • All the cook cum helpers in the visited schools are female. • All the cook cum helpers in visiting schools received their honorarium of Rs. 1000 on regular basis. • No training was orgainsed for cook cum helpers.

9. Inspections and community involvement • Community participation is very low and needs strengthening. • There should be wider dissemination of the information regarding MDM and its norms which are revised time to time. • The monitoring mechanism requires strengthening at all levels.

10. School Health Programme • SHP in the State is being implemented under the name "Chirayu Programme" • School health cards were maintained in 95% schools in Nainital, 78% schools in Tehri and in 65% schools in Udham Singh Nagar. • Health checkups have been carried out on annual basis in 85% schools. • De-worming tablets, Vitamin-A dosage, and Micronutrients were administered in about 55% schools.

11. Suggestions • State may think of creating small stock points for foodgrains especially in hilly area. • Involvement of community especially mothers to be strengthened. • Modules on MDM to be added in the training programme for VEC/SMC. • The honorarium of cook-cum helpers (BhojanMatas) may be disbursed on monthly basis. • Eco friendly chulhas may be used, since fire wood is the main fuel used for cooking.

12. Thank you