Mid-day meal: Rice quality under scanner

MALDA, Sept. 8: The Malda district administration is concerned with the alleged malpractice in the distribution of mid-day meal after gross anomalies were detected by officials of the food and supplies department.The Directorate of Inspection (Quality Control), Food and Supplies has reported to the district administration that rice meant for mid-day meal was stored in the godown of a distributor in Manikchak, and not collected from the Food Corporation of India. “The samples of rice collected from the FCI and the one delivered to the distributor in Manikchak did not match with the stock of rice in the godown meant for mid day meal,” administrative officials said. Officials suspect that the fine rice delivered by the FCI was sold off in the open market and replaced with inferior grade for distribution as mid-day meal rice.The Malda SDO, Ms Arunima De, said that senior administrative officials including the officer in-charge of food department would hold a meeting tomorrow to take action against the distributor. The district administration has primarily planned to lodge an FIR against the distributor who was responsible to cater mid-day meal rice to the primary schools in Manikchak block.Receiving complaints that poor quality rice was being used in the mid-day meal project in schools, the district administration decided to check.It was reported that the huge stock of rice meant for midday meal at Manikchak was not fit for human consumption. n SNS