Mid-day Meal Scheme in West Bengal Annual Work Plan & Budget 2012 – 2013

OUR State West Bengal

From January, 2003 the Cooked Mid-day Meal programme was started in West Bengal in 1100 backward schools of 6 districts. Now it is running in all the 20 educational districts in West Bengal. Nearly 1 crore 36 lakh students are taking MDM in every school day. Recent report shows that we have been able to cover 88% & 82% of the enrolled students in Primary & Upper Primary schools respectively.

Mid-day-meal Takers

Children Taking mid-day-meals

Central State sharing 75:25 Status today Cost per child per day category Total cost per meal Central State sharing 75:25 Central contribution State contribution Primary Rs.3.17 Rs.2.17 Re.1.00 Upper Primary Rs.4.33 Rs.3.25 Rs.1.08

Vegetables of kitchen garden

Vegetables (leafy also) Nutrition: Quantity The Food norms would be as under: Sl. No. Items Quantity Per Day Primary students Upper Primary students 1. Food-grains (Rice) 100gms 150gms 2. Pulse 20gms 30gms 3. Vegetables (leafy also) 50gms 75gms 4. Oil & Fat 5.0gms 7.5gms 5. Salt & Condiments As per need Is this adequate? Mainly in Tribal areas intake of food grains is high. They need at least 150gm rice for primary and 175gm for upper primary

Approved Budget for the year 2011-12 (Recurring) Rs. In Lakh Sl. No. Component Approved Budget & Receipts for the year 2011-12   Central State Total Approved Matching Grant 1 2 3 4 5 Cooking Cost 57869.61 23891.60 81761.21 Honorarium to Cook 18659.33 6219.78 24879.11 Cost of Food Grains 15076.09 0.00 Transportation Cost 2001.25 MME 1684.92 95291.2 30111.38 125402.58

Total Coverage of Schools & Enrolment Category Eligible Covered % of coverage Schools Enrolme nt Primary & NCLP  76424 8915479 74717 7826646 98% 88% Upper Primary   13068 4705476 11571 3845660 89% 82%

Coverage of Schools and Enrollment ( 82%) ( 89%) ( 98%) ( 88%)

Coverage of Kolkata zilla Primary school council Sl. No. Particular Total Schools Total students Schools Covered Students covered School Coverage Student Coverage 1 Pry 1155 183444 959 147069 83 % 80 % 2 U / Pry 564 181000 476 145192 84 % 3 KMC Schools 356 28958 354 28558 99 % 98 % 4 AIEs under SSM 466 22000 465 100% 5 NCLP school 40 2000 Total 2581 417402 2294 344819 89% 83%

Coverage of Schools : Kolkata Region

Coverage of Students : Kolkata Region

Coverage of Institutions : PAB Approval Vs Achievement ( 98% ) ( 100.2%)

Coverage of Children : Approval Vs Achievement ( 107%) ( 128%)

Reasons for not covering all schools Mid-day Meal Programme, West Bengal Reasons for not covering all schools Space constraints. Non-availability of suitable NGOs for shouldering cluster kitchens. Attempts have been taken to remove bottlenecks and those schools are expected to be covered shortly under MDM Scheme.

Quality and stack of rice

Utilization of Rice as on 31-12-2011 (MTs) Category Allocation for 2011-12 Opening Balance as on 01.04.2011 Rice lifting Availability Utilization % of Utilization Primary & NCLP 156481.87 10646.49 76493.27 87139.76 86616.40 55 % Upper Primary 95710.2 3994.80 49808.73 53803.53 54372.19 57 % Total 252192.07 14641.29 126302.00 140942.8 140988.59 56 %

Food grains Lifted (MTs) Total Payment to be made Utilization of Cost of Rice as on 31-12-2011 (Rs. In Lakh) Allocation for 2011-12 Opening Balance as on 01.04.2011 Fund released Total Fund available Utilization % of Utilization 15076.08 3362.31 9526.63 12888.94 7136.06 47.33 % Payment to FCI as on 31-12-2011 Food grains Lifted (MTs) Total Payment to be made (Rs. In Lakh) Bill Claimed Bill paid % of payment 126302.0 7136.06  6118.16  5154.12 84.24 %

Utilization of Cooking Cost as on 31-12-2011 (Rs. In Lakh) Schools Allocation for 2011-12 Opening Balance as on 01.04.2011 Fund released Availability of Fund Utilization Utilization in % Primary & NCLP 52979.69 9974.58 37861.41 47835.99 30916.21 59% Upper Primary 28781.51 12593.48 15271.09 27864.57 17928.34 65% Total 81761.2 22568.06 53132.5 75700.56 48844.55 60 %

Reasons for less utilization of food grains as well as cooking cost Bad quality of rice. Almost all the Districts were affected. Many schools have started MDMs at the later part of the second quarter. All the Implementing Authorities could not feed the children on all eligible Saturdays.

Cook-Cum-Helpers (SHGs)

Utilization of Honorarium to Cooks as on 31-12-2011 (Rs. In Lakh) Allocation for 2011-12 Opening Balance as on 01.04.2011 Fund released Total Fund available Utilization % of Utilization 24879.1 7195.62 18252.32 25447.95 16846.2 68%

Utilization of Transportation Cost as on 31-12-2011 (Rs. in Lakh) Allocation for 2011-12 Opening Balance as on 01.04.2011 Fund released Total Fund Utilization % of Utilisation 1457.26 543.99  863.33 1407.32  980.71  68%

Utilization of MME as on 31-12-2011 (Rs. In Lakh) Allocation for 2011-12 Opening Balance as on 01.04.2011 Fund released Total Fund available Utilization % of Utilization 1688.49 368.76 1200.00 1568.76 765.86 46 %

Kitchen devices

Status of Kitchen Devices Sl. No   Years No. of schools / Centres Financial Progress (Lakh) Target(Units Sanctioned) Procured In Progress Not Procured Amount sanctioned Expenditure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2006-07 18734 936.7 2007-08 1894 94.7 2008-09 19305 965.25 2009-10 49981 2499.05 2010-11 2011-12 Total 89914 4495.7 Utilization – 100%

Kitchen-cum-store

Status of Kitchen-cum-store Sl. No   Years No. of schools/Centres Financial Progress(Lakh) Target(Units Sanctioned) Constructed In Progress Not started Amount sanctioned Expenditure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2006-07 9792 5875.20 2007-08 1900 1140.00 2008-09 36958 17851 1476 17631 22074.80 14144.20 2009-10 8419 7397 1121 17498.52 14878.61 2010-11 7193 12358.65 0.00 2011-12 Total 64262 36940 2597 24825 58947.17 36038.01 Percentage of construction : 57.48 %

issues Kitchen cum stores are allowed only for Govt., Govt. aided & Local Body schools. Kitchen cum stores may be considered for Madrasha, MSK & SSKs. A considerable number of kitchen sheds sanctioned earlier do not have kitchen store. This may be considered.

Fund flow system Finance Department, Government of West Bengal School Education Department, Government of West Bengal District Magistrate Block Development officer for Block/sub- Divisional Officers for Municipalities Village Education Committee/Managing Committees/SHG in charge of Cooking [Where SHGs have Accounts]

Food grains flow system District manager, FCI Distributors of the Public Distribution System (PDS) Dealer of PDS at Block Level Schools

Menu Almost all the schools are displaying the menu. Head teachers of the schools in consultation with other teachers, SLMC and SHG members decide the menu. In some places the local BDO offices send the tentative list of weekly menu to all schools. The common menu of the food is rice, dal, seasonal vegetables. Eggs are served once in a week.

Block /Municipality Level infrastructure State Level 1- Project Director 1-Dy. Director (Civil)-(contract)) 1- Administrative Officer 1-Dy. Director (Food)-(contract) 1-Accounts Officer 1-Accountant (contract) 1-MIS Coordinator 1-Head Assistant (contract) 1- Group ‘D’ (contract) 3- Data Entry operators (contract) District Level 1- Officer in Charge/Dy. Magistrate 1-Accounts Officer (Vacant) 1- Data Entry operator (contract) Group ‘D’ from DM’s Office Block /Municipality Level AI at Block Level / Block Level Supervisor 1-Assistant Accountant (contract) Corporation Level 1-MDM co-coordinator (contract) 1-Data Entry Operator (contract)

Quality monitoring of menus & Training of shg and other persons involved in cooking Institute of Hotel management Catering Technology and Applied nutrition, Taratala, Kolkata & Food Technology Department ,Jadavpur University, Kolkata have been engaged to monitor the quality of meals.They have given training to the master trainers & others in different districts. The master trainers are now giving training to the SHGs and others involved in cooking. Seminars, meetings are being held at all levels on Quality Safety & hygeine. A booklet on safety, quality & hygiene has been prepared. This will be published in different languages like Bengali, Hindi, English, Nepali & Saontali shortly.

Seminars and meetings in states and districts

Grievance redressal mechanism plan A committee headed by the BDO at Block level & Executive officer at Municipality level has been formed. A log book is to be maintained at Block/Municipality level. Any complaint received on MDM get enquired within 30 days from the date of receipt of the complaint. Complaint Boxes are kept at every concerned level. Dedicated telephone number has been given in the portal of MDM under School Education Department’s Web-site “www.wbsed.gov.in”. Introduction of a toll free number is under process.  

inspection Visiting Officers No. of Schools visited Findings No. of schools running satisfactorily No. of intermittent schools No. of schools not running MDM DIs & his Officers (ADIs, AIs, SIs,) 10882 10090 427 365 District Magistrates & his Officers (ADMs, SDOs, BDOs, OC-MDM) 20398 17262 2385 751 State Level 63 59 4 Total 31343 27411 2816 1116 N.B. # Bad quality of rice #SHG engagement Problem # Want of steady flow of fund # Want of Kitchen cum store

Present status of information system Management Structure at different level has been improved. Steps have been taken to receive information through web-based information system. Now it is getting from the District to the State Level. It is being extended to the Block/School Level. The required information may be collected directly from the school through this system. In case of SMS based monitoring system one pilot project has been undertaken.

Safety measures Gas-based safety measures have been discussed at different levels. Safety for the children of the schools, where food is cooked by Firewood/ kerosene oil etc is being looked into. In both cases guidelines have been issued. Seminars are held at different levels. A booklet on safety, quality & hygiene has been prepared. This will be published in different languages like Bengali, Hindi, English, Nepali & Saontali shortly.

Complaints on food grains and other matters Several complaints have been received regarding bad quality of food grains. All most all the districts in this State did not lift food grains fully due to very poor quality. Govt. of India has been informed of this poor quality of rice. We have received 31 complaints regarding food grains. Most of the complaints have been redressed except complaints on bad quality of food grains in the districts. 177 complaints (verbally as well as written) have been dully disposed of. 

Some salient points as observed by mi Positive Points: There is direct impact of MDM in the school attendance as observed by MI, the parents and teachers opined the same. The school teachers get more time for class room teaching where the responsibility of MDM lies with the SHGs/others. All the sample schools are in use of idolized salt. Backward community women are involved in cooking & serving the MDM. Area of concerns: Irregular supply and bad quality of rice for MDM. Irregular payment of the cooks/helpers. Theft of the MDM food grains & utensils. Excess use of fire woods in most of the places for MDM. MDMs are suspended in several primary schools due to bad quality of rice.  

Findings of the 3rd joint review missions including recommendations Poor quality of rice in Kolkata. 2. Cooking cost is not released in time to the schools in Birbhum District. 3. Children are not fed on Saturdays, being half days. The village panchayat or the community leader should be encouraged to conduct social audit. Health awareness programme should be conducted periodically to ensure proper administration of IFA . 6. The school authorities find it difficult to obtain LPG cylinders at domestic rates. contd….

Evaluation Study on food norms for children of Primary classes needed. 8. The present ceiling of Rs. 5,000/ (five thousand) per school proved to be quite inadequate especially in High schools where the Mid-Day Meal taker students are very high. It needs to be enhanced. Convergence with other departments is to be strengthened. 10. A Grievance Redressal Mechanism set up at state level (033-23597699) should be published as per the GOI guidelines. 11. The children of Tribal areas and schedule cast dominated areas need rice more than 100gm per day in primary schools. contd…

12. The regularity in serving MDM was good. 13. Egg was served once or twice in a week and meat occasionally. 14. AIE centers in Kolkata region run by NGOs, MDM service is very satisfactory. 15. Wide publicity should be given to all the stake holders regarding MDMs particularly with reference to certain key issues such as, i) Nutritive value of food as per norms. ii) Entitlement of the children. iii) Hand washing. iv)Hygiene and cleanliness. contd…

Special Measures for Kolkata region, i) Model kitchens can be used for preparation of food. ii) Food should be transported in stainless steel vessels that have firm lids. iii) Sand buckets and ABC Dry Power Fire Extinguishers should be kept outside the kitchen. iv) Proper headgear and aprons should be provided. v) By encouraging SHGs in which mothers are also members, women employment and community participation will be encouraged.

Achievement  Attendance and nutritional status of children have been increased.  Introduction of Mid-Day-Meal has substantially increased enrolment.  It has been able to reduce the dropout rate (4.94% 4.45% in primary) and (7.22% 5.41% in upper primary level).  It attracts children of under-privileged section of the society to formal education system. contd…

Achievement  It has raised the quality of primary education. It has raised the health and nutritional status of children. It has also promoted gender empowerment by increasing the number of employment opportunities for poor Rural Women.

Budget Provision for the year 2012-13 Non Recurring Assistance Sl. No Component Primary Upper Primary Grand total For Central Share For State Share Total 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   Recurring Assistance Cost of Food grain 10230.79 0.00 7496.15 17726.94 Cooking Cost 42189.98 19492.09 61682.07 30869.11 10260.22 41129.33 102811.40 Honorarium to Cook-cum-Helper 11761.20 3920.40 15681.60 6898.73 2299.58 9198.31 24879.91 Transportation Assistance 1358.07 995.06 2353.13 *MME 2569.93 Non Recurring Assistance *Kitchen-cum-Store 14922.15 4974.05 19896.20 Kitchen Devices 921.50  TOTAL 83953.62 28386.54 112340.16 46259.05 12559.80 58818.85 171159.01 *Budget for Primary & Upper Primary together

School Education Department    Thank you School Education Department Mid Day Meal Section West Bengal