Dr.Rafiqul Islam Nodal Officer Visva – Bharati University, Monitoring Institute for West-Bengal Mid Day Meal Programme ( MDM)

(i) Districts MonitoredCoochbehar,Dajeeling & Jalpaiguri (ii) Date of visit to the District: Coochbehar Dajeeling Jalpaiguri (iii) Period of ReportApril to September 2014 i.e. First Half -Yearly Monitoring report. (iv) Sample Size Coochbehar,- PS-30,UPS-12 Darjeeling - PS-31,UPS-12 Jalpaiguri-PS-31,UPS-10 Background Information

Regularity in Serving MDM & Food grains Reveals that all the sample primary and upper primary schools are providing daily cook MDM. Food grains released after adjusting the unspent balance of the previous month in Coochbehar, & Jalpaiguri and not done in Dajeeling District. One month buffer stock maintained in 93.33%PS & 83.33% UPS. (Coochbehar) Three months buffer stocks are maintained in 77.42% PS & 83.33% UPS (Darjeeling). one month buffer stocks are maintained in all sample schools(Jalpaiguri).

Trends: On the day of visit in PS 51.83% are present out of 96.57% availed MDM. In UPS 47.55% are present out of 70.27% availed the MDM. one UPS MDM are not served due to exams.(Coachbehar). In PS 76.60% are present out of 97.08% availed MDM. In UPS 88.78% out of 83.76% students availed the MDM. No MDM served in two PS and two UPS due to fuel & poor attendance. (Dajeeling)

Cooking Cost of MDM: No sample schools received the cooking cost in advance. Sample primary schools receive cooking cost by cheque and e-transfer are made to UPS. The abnormal delay payment of cooking cost hamper the MDM. The school head teacher/ SHGs/Cooks manages the same by borrowing from the local market.

Social Equity Menu No gender/caste/ community discrimination are found in cooking or serving or seating arrangements of the MDM. It was noticed that 83.33%PS and 91.67%UPS displayed the weekly menu for the MDM (Coochbehar), and 61.29%PS and 50% UPS (Dajeeling)

Overall Observations There is no formal contribution to MDM but the parents are aware and do visit to the schools for MDM. It is considered as Govt. program and reluctant to contribute. Community Mobilization

Inspection MI found %PS& 08.33% UPS have the inspection register at school.Coochbehar MI found % (18) primary schools and 04 (40.00%) UPS the inspection register are available at school level. Jalpaiguri Financial Management The head teacher of respective school maintained all records and registers for MDM and do share the accounts with the VEC and forwarded for necessary payment. All the districts.

Convergence with other Programmes MI found that in 25 (83.33%) & UPS 10 (83.33%) maintained school Health Card. (Coochbehar) MI found that in 19 (61.29%) primary schools &10 (100.00%) UPS micronutrients and de-worming medicine are given (Jalpaguri) MI found that in the 06 (19.35%) primary schools and 02 (16.67%) UPS the height and weight record of the children is available (Darjeeling) Overall Observations Children are encouraged to wash hands before and after eating and it is monitor by the students and teachers.

Kitchen device and Storage: All the sample schools have adequate utensils purchased out of the MDM fund. Found that 16.67% food grains are kept it in unused class room & 23.33% in class room,36.67% are in office room & 23.3% in store room of the primary schools.In UPS 66.67% has store room, use class room 01 school & Unused class room 02 place and 1 in office room. Rice are kept in bags & a few primary schools it is kept in dram. (Coochbehar)

Status of Cook cum Helpers Overall Observations Overwhelmingly majority of the places the MDM are manage by the SHGs with the involvement of Local self Govt. No sample schools are under centralized kitchen. Found that 93.55%primary schools & all the UPS the cooking of the MDM are managed by the SHG members(Coochbehar) The cooks use to get honorarium as per GOI norms but many are involved in a single school. All sample primary & upper primary schools the cooking of the MDM are manage by the person arrange by the VEC/WEC/ local self Govt(Darjeeling).

Infrastructure Found that the separate toilet for Girls 70% in PS, UPS 91.67%(Coochbehar) and 76.67%inPS,UPS 75%(Darjeeling) and 48.39% in PS & 67.74% in UPS (Darjeeling). Found that 80% primary schools and all UPS have pacca kitchen cum store(Coochbehar). Fire wood is used in all primary schools & UPS AND (96.77%) primary schools and 10 (100%) UPS (Coochbehar &Jalpaiguri) There 83.87% primary schools have pacca kitchen cum store and 91.67% UPS have pacca kitchen cum store.

 There is direct impact of MDM in the school attendance.  The cooks /helpers gets enhanced honorarium.  All the sample schools are in use of idolized salt.  Under privileged community women are involved in cooking & serving the MDM.  Washing hands before meal are maintained.  Many schools maintained food test records as well as inspection register. A.Positive points:

 Irregular supply of rice for MDM.  Irregular payment to the cooks/helpers.  MDM menu are not displayed in all the schools.  Food grains are delivered in long intervals not adjusting the balance in many schools.  Required LPG is not available in subsidized rate.  Inspection/monitoring mechanism are poor.  Parent’s roasters are not found in many places.  Grievance redressal mechanisms are poor many schools.  Many SHGs involved in cooking process in a school.  Space is problem in the few UPS.  Excess use of fire woods in most of the places. B. Area of concern:

 To ensure the community participation by empowering a team of members from the VEC to supervise the MDM.  Monitoring mechanism from outside the community is to be strengthened.  Improvement of quality of MDM by enhancing the budgetary provision.  Regular supply of food grains to the school and regular payments of cooking cost.  Less number of SHGs should be involved in a month for cooking MDM in a particular school and training for the SHG members.  CRC should be pro- active in managing the MDM.  All information of MDM to be place in the notice board of the school. Suggestions for improvement of the Scheme

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