Schools give the mid day meals a miss

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 31: More than 50 per cent primary schools in Manikchak block are running with out mid-day meal project due to several causes, district administrative officer said today. The fact came to light at a meeting at Manikchak block yesterday, in presence of the Malda SDO, chairman of the mid-day meal monitoring committee. The meeting was convened to review the situation of mid meal and sanitation in Manikchak block. It was revealed that due to several causes the mid-day meal programmes were discontinued since 2006 in more than 50 percent primary schools in Manikchak block. Similarly, like Manikchak block, there are several primary schools in 14 other blocks are running without mid-day meal project. When a primary school has insufficient rice and other materials, the headmaster or mistress is forced to discontinue mid-day meal project or when they fail to pay remuneration to the members of the women self help group due to different causes. On the other hand, the primary school authorities face problems in selecting self-help group for appointment as cook due to difference of opinion between the village education committee and gram panchayat chief for their small interests. Even in urban areas like English Bazaar and Old Malda town there are several primary schools are running without mid-day meal project. The district authorities have planned to hold a review meeting soon for implementing mid-day meal project collecting reports from the block level where it has been discontinued.