Mid-Day-Meal scheme to be rationalised, says Sibal

The government is set to "rationalise" the Mid-Day Meal programme, putting in place a mechanism to link cooking cost to the price index of items to ensure that the amount spent per meal is automatically enhanced depending on the prise-rise of commodities.

"We will change the parameters of MDM programme to make rationale," HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said today addressing a conference of secretaries of school education and literacy.

The Human Resource Development Ministry had earlier set up a committee to suggest modalities to raise the amount specified per child under the mid-day meal programme. The move was initiated after complaints by states that the existing limit was too meagre to sustain the programme.

At present, the government spends Rs 2.08 for cooked food for a child at the primary level and Rs 2.60 at upper primary level. Expenditure on each meal also includes provision of 40 paisa towards labour charge for cooking.

The scheme, covering 12.5 lakh government schools, aims at arresting drop-out rate and increasing students' attendance by providing nutritious food to them.

As per the plan, the cooking cost will be linked to a special designed price index that would take care of the price rise of the commodities used for preparation of the meal.

If it is accepted by the Cabinet, it will be an in-built mechanism to ensure that the programme is not affected by price rise of commodities like rice and pulses.