*Financial indiscipline, poor quality of food still persists
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 22: Shocking it may sound but it is a reality that Jammu and Kashmir has failed to overcome the lapses and shortcomings in the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which were pointed out during last performance audit of the scheme conducted more than eight years back by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
This can be gauged from the glaring financial indiscipline, poor quality of meals and inadequate monitoring and over-reporting of enrolment figures, which have again been pointed out by the highest audit body of the country in its latest report tabled in the Parliament recently with the mention that red flags, which were raised earlier, are still persisting.
The non-serious attention towards the shortcomings pointed out during the performance audit of the scheme during 2007-08 clearly indicates that concerned authorities of Jammu and Kashmir don’t want to ensure proper implementation of the scheme, which is aimed at providing nutritional support to school children and was launched in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2004.
In its report for the year ended March 2014, the CAG has pointed out declining trend in enrolment of the children during the period between 2009-10 and 2013-14, adding “no attention has been paid towards Union Ministry’s instructions envisaging the formulation of specific plans to create awareness about the scheme among parents of children identified and eligible but not enrolled. The report further said: In Jammu and Kashmir, no initiatives were taken in this direction.
After scrutiny of records related to food-grains allocated and lifted, the CAG said, “Jammu and Kashmir lifted less than 80% food-grains against allocation during 2009-10 to 2013-14”, adding “this is mainly because the projection of number of children in Annual Works Plan and Budget was on a higher side and number of children who actually availed Mid-Day Meal Scheme in comparison to enrolment was less. Moreover, Mid Day Meal was served on less number of days during the year than what was approved by the Programme Approval Board”.
During 2009-10, the percentage of food-grains lifting was 90% while as the same during 2010-11 was 61%. Similarly, during 2011-12, the food-grains lifting was 69% and the same was 83% during 2012-13. Likewise, during 2013-13 the percentage of food-grains lifting was 63%.
The CAG has also pointed out various inconsistencies between the figures of the food-grains lifted by Jammu and Kashmir and the Ministry. As far as enrolment (Primary and Upper Primary level) is concerned, there is difference of 135504 in the figures provided by the Ministry and Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, there is difference of 108862 in the figures provided by the Ministry and J&K about the children covered under Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
About the quality of food being provided to the children under Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the CAG has pointed out that J&K failed to engage reputed institutes and laboratories for carrying out sample checking of cooked meal to ensure quality of meal to the children. In this way, the State flouted the guidelines of Ministry of Human Resource Development which explicitly state that in order to ensure quality, safety and hygiene under the Mid Day Meal Scheme, the States are required to engage CSIR institutes/National Accreditation Board for Laboratories recognized labs in order to put sample checking of MDM.
About the financial indiscipline, the report said that in Kupwara, Leh and Kargil districts funds of Rs 1.76 crore were diverted from school local funds towards cooking cost during 2010-11. Similarly, in Jammu funds to the extent of Rs 7.84 crore were spent out of the school local funds on cooking cost component. “As a result, scheme funds which were received belatedly remained un-utilized to the extent of Rs 8.12 crore at the close of the financial year”.
Though guidelines further state that grievance redressal mechanism is to be established for resolving complaints, this aspect was not taken care of by the concerned authorities of J&K. “In J&K grievance redressal mechanism had not been established”, the report said.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel