Southern States - Karnataka   

Midday meal yet to yield results

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA July 15. All is not well with the midday meal scheme launched by the Government with the twin objectives of providing nutritious food to schoolchildren and bringing down the dropout rate.

While the scheme was launched in other parts of the State this month, it was formally introduced during the academic year 2001-02 in Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Bellary, Bijapur, and Bagalkot districts.

Though one-and-a-half-years has passed after the scheme was introduced in Gulbarga District, it is yet to make the desired impact due to the lack of involvement of teachers, who are responsible for implementing the scheme. A survey conducted by the North Karnataka Education Directorate last year on the impact of the scheme in the seven districts notes that after the introduction of the scheme, attendance has gone up by only two per cent. But the information provided by the Government seeks to prove the contrary. According to a survey, the number of children attending schools was 2.21 lakh last year, while it has increased to 3.96 lakh this year.

The Education Department and the Information Department organised a tour to take a group of journalists to some government schools in Chitapur and Gulbarga taluks where the midday meal scheme was on. But the visit turned out to be an unpleasant experience for the accompanying officials as teachers and students complained about the quality of the food being served under the scheme.

Except for the Government Primary School at Babu Naik Tanda in Chitapur taluk, students in other schools complained about the quality of food being served to them. While most of them alleged that vegetables were sparingly used, others said that "tasteless watery sambar" and rice were the only items served regularly, with "uppitu" or "chitranna" served occasionally. Also, many of the schools do not have separate kitchens and students are made to sit on the floor to eat the food.

The lack of accountability among the implementing staff is another cause for concern. In none of the midday meal centres has the staff maintained registers of foodgrains received and utilised. Also, foodgrains are not provided to the cooks based on attendance. The headmasters, who are in charge of the scheme, are not aware of the quantity of foodgrains to be supplied.

Initially, the Government sanctioned funds for the scheme to the respective gram panchayats which, in turn, supplied the items. However, due to some difficulties, the Government decided to credit the money to the account of the headmasters. But the money continues to be routed through the gram panchayats.

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