Students likely to forgo mid-day meal
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 29 2017:
With the BJP-led coalition Government not releasing Mid-Day Meal fund, a large number of students reading in Government schools are likely to forgo mid-day meal from the month of October .
With the exception of holidays, Government school students are being provided mid-day meal continuously since January this year till date even though the Government does not release any fund during all the months, sources informed .
While the State Government has been providing rice and dishes, the other requirements are managed by school Headmasters/Headmistresses .
Mid-Day Meal fund of around Rs 48 crore is due to the State Government.
Out of this due amount, Rs 15 crore should be paid for purchasing dish items on credit while the remaining amount should used in paying honorariums to cooks at the rate of Rs 1000 per month and payment of transport fare for lifting rice from FCI, said the sources .
The Government of India has issued rice allocation for the third quarter (October-December).
This rice allocation should be lifted from FCI and distributed to schools .
But FCI would demand payment of bill for rice lifted earlier.
There is no money to pay the FCI bill as the State Government is not releasing any fund.
Given this reality, the rice allocation for the third quarter may not be lifted .
Assuming that the rice allocation is somehow lifted and distributed to schools and if students should be served mid-day meal, debts of Headmasters/Headmistresses would multiply manifold for they are already indebted for purchasing dish items on credit .
Given this condition, Government school students are most likely to forgo mid-day meal at least in their schools from October.
This may ultimately lead to total breakdown of Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the State, added the sources.