The Punjab Government will raise a demand before theUnion Government for additional funds under the mid-day meal scheme to feed allthe students at the government and aided schools in the state.
The additional funds were needed after the state'sgovernment schools registered a considerable increase in the enrollment ofstudents for the current academic session.
This was disclosed by the Chief Secretary, Ms ViniMahajan, after chairing the meeting of the steering-cum-monitoring committee ofthe mid-day meal scheme, here on Monday.
She took stock of the implementation of the scheme aimedat providing nutritious food to the school kids studying at primary and upperprimary classes in the government and government-aided schools in the state.
The Chief Secretary said the Union Government hadprovided funds for benefitting 14.05 lakh students during 2020-21, whereas in2021-22, the provision has been made for feeding 15.83 lakh students, whichwas, however, not sufficient.
She said the enhanced number of beneficiary studentsunder the mid-day meal scheme was presently assessed at 16.91 lakh students inthe state, which requires additional funds. The remuneration of the mid-day mealworkers has also been increased, Ms Mahajan informed.
The Chief secretary hailed the Education department forthe efficient implementation of the scheme during the academic session 2020-21despite extremely difficult situations arising out in the wake of the Covidoutbreak.
"Either dry ration or mid-day meal was provided bythe department despite schools being closed and about Rs 231 crore was directlytransferred to the bank accounts of the school children towards cookingcost," she noted while stressing the need for further fortification ofthe meal.
The Secretary, School Education, Krishan Kumar, whileapprising the Chief Secretary of the progress report, said the entire budget ofRs 350 crore allocated under the scheme had been properly utilized. The foodgrain was served among 15.83 lakh students of primary and upper primary classesstudying at the 19,682 government and government-aided schools in the state.Besides, the total cooking cost was deposited in the bank accounts of the studentsor their parents to facilitate them to prepare cooked food at their homes.
The Principal Secretary, Food and Supplies, KAP Sinha,apprised the Chief Secretary of the scheme under consideration to providefortified rice in the mid-day meal to ensure nutritious food to the studentsduring the current financial year.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Rural Development andPanchayats, Principal Secretaries of Social Welfare of SC/BC, Health and FamilyWelfare, Finance, Social Securities, Women and Child Welfare, Planning, Foodand Civil Supplies, General Manager FCI Punjab, MD Punsup, Director General SchoolEducation, DPI( SE) and DPI (EE) were among those who attended the meeting.