1. Monitoring institute. University of Jammu
Monitoring institute. University of Jammu. DEPARTMENT OF LIFELONG LEARNING State – Jammu & Kashmir. Nodal Officer : Dr. Priyanka Sharma.

2. 1. Period of the report: May’2010 to January’2011
2. No. of Districts allocated: 3
3. District: Udhampur, Kishtwar and Doda. ( zones )
Date of visit to the Districts 9th , 10th, 11th , 12th , 14th , 15th, 16th , 17th, 18th, 19th of June, th , 27th , 28th , 29th , 30th and 31st of July, 2010 & 31st Dec and 3rd and 4rth Jan 2011.
Number of schools visited =68 schools (5% of the schools).

3. REGULARITY IN DELIVERING FOOD GRAINS TO SCHOOL LEVEL:
The food grains were supplied in almost all the schools visited by the MI.
In some of the schools there was a shortage of grains during the last days of the month and such schools either did not serve meal during those days and in few schools teachers invested from there own pocket. In couple of schools in Doda and Kishtwar district the MDM was not served for nearly more than a month.
Storage of food grains was another issue which needs to be addressed.

4. REGULARITY IN DELIVERING COOKING COST TO SCHOOL LEVEL:
The funds delivery in the schools for bearing the cooking cost was an area which needed due attention.
Considerable delay in the receipt of funds was seen in the schools visited by MI.
In case of delay in release of cooking cost the head teacher of the school managed it by investing personally.
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5. QUALITY & QUANTITY OF MEAL:
SOCIAL EQUITY:
No discrimination was observed in selection of cook with regard to cast and religion and also in distribution of meals children of all casts and religion ate together.
VARIETY OF MENU:
In most of the schools rice, pulse and even green leafy vegetables was served.
There is a scope for improvement in adding on to nutrient value of the meals by providing eggs and green vegetables.
QUALITY & QUANTITY OF MEAL:
Quality and quantity of meal was satisfactory.
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6. Cooks and helpers were appointed by the department.
SUPPLEMENTARY:
Micronutrient supplements and de-worming tablets were not given to the students. Health checkups in collaboration with the health department could also be conducted.
STATUS OF COOKS:
Cooks and helpers were appointed by the department.
Payment to the cooks was a neglected area.
INFRASTURTURE :
Though the Kitchens were well kept and were made as per the guidelines, where as in large number of schools visited by the MI, the adequate infrastructure required for the kitchen i.e utensils etc was a weak area.
Looking at the national scenario with regard to the availability of kitchen in the school, it was observed that substantial number of schools had pucca kitchen sheds whereas more than fifty percent still remain to be roofless kitchen, managed and run somehow. So, to keep the spirit and the functioning of the scheme, a provision should be made for the appropriate provision of the kitchen facility.

7. Both LPG and firewood was used for cooking purpose.
To make it environment friendly use of alternative energy sources needs to be explored.
SAFETY & HYGIENE:
Though the Large number of the sample school were fulfilling the indicators of cooking and serving the food in neat, hygienic as well as safe conditions but in nearly 36% of the schools visited safety and hygiene conditions were not appropriate.

8. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION:
There was good community participation noticed in some of the sample schools as the Parents/VECs/Panchayats/Urban bodies were interested in the welfare of school going children. The MDM is supervised regularly by teachers/ parents. The numbers regarding involvement of parents & local bodies in supervision of the MDM are also satisfactory. There participation in the MDM is also seen to be constructive and participative..

9. 12. IMPACT
MDM is helping in increasing the enrollment and attendance of the children.
The overall implementation of mid-day meal scheme is quite satisfactory in terms of provision of meals.
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10. Summary.
The general impression drawn by conducting field visits in the sampled schools in the three districts i.e udhampur, kishtwar and Doda is quite satisfactory in terms of provision of meals and other related aspects. Through there is an ample scope to improve the infrastructure by constructing pucca Kitchen sheds, providing adequate storage facility and appropriate utensils. Though MDM was cooked in all of the schools as per the menu despite the fact that the funds were not received regularly. there is still a scope for improvement in quality by adding on to nutrient value of the meals by providing eggs and green vegetables. In none of the schools visited by MI’S Micronutrient supplements and de-worming tablets were given to the children. In some of the schools visited at the end of the month it was observed that the MDM was not served because of the lack of the funds. Payment of the charges of the cook was a neglected area due to paucity of funds The constructive involvement of teachers/ parents in MDM implementation was a positive aspect.

11. Suggestions:
Convergence and collaboration with the health department and schemes like swjaldhara and TSC to provide adequate health, water and sanitation facilities to the children.
Look for mechanism to maintain the continuity of MDM in the schools.
Improve in infrastructure and adoption of environment friendly methods of cooking.