Education

Revitalize Mid-day meal scheme (MDMS) in terms of management and delivery

Broken

The number of children benefitted under MDMS has reduced from 10.8 crores in 2013-14 to 10.2 crore in 2015-16. Funds allocated have gone down from 11,316 crore in 2014-15 to 11,000 crore in 2019-20, a decrease of 2.9% 5 years later. It must be mentioned that the budget for 2018-19 was 9.949 crores which is 12.1% less than 2014-15 budget.  However, the funding pattern changed from 75:25 between Central and States to 60:40 from April 2015, which influenced the budget data.

Out of 13.2 crore children enrolled in schools, only 10.3 crore are getting benefit under MDMS. Around 3 crore children are still beyond the coverage of MDMS. This information was presented before the Rajya Sabha on 21st July, 2016.

There is a shortage of basic infrastructural facilities and manpower which are crucial for the accomplishment of MDMS, according to a Parliamentary Committee Report published in December 2016.

Considering a funding decrease, nearly 3 crore children outside purview of Mid-Day meal scheme, no visible steps for transparency and management in the implementation of scheme, it is unclear what “revitalise” meant. Therefore, the inference drawnis that the promise is “Broken”

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