Food grains for midday meals gathering dust at Ludhiana govt schools
The 1,527 govt schools in the district are awaiting orders from the state govt to begin distribution of grains among students
With all educational institutes in Punjab told to stay closed till April 30 amid the surge in Covid cases, government schools in the district are awaiting orders from the state education department to disburse food grains to students that were meant for cooking midday meals.
Sacks of rice and wheat are lying in rooms and midday meal kitchens of 1,527 government schools in the district. School heads stated that the food grains must be given to the students soon, as may get damaged if they are stored for a long period of time.
As per sources, 8,174.94 metric tonnes (MT) of food grains were delivered to schools across the state by Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (PUNSUP), in mid-March. Out of this, 1,206 MT was sent to Ludhiana, after which the schools were closed down.
At Government Model Senior Secondary Smart School, Punjab Agricultural University, more than 50 bags of wheat and rice are stored in two rooms. The school has around 1,887 students in Classes 1 to 8.
A government Primary school, which has a strength of 100 students, has three quintals each of rice and wheat stored in the mid-day meal kitchen.
School authorities said they have received the cooking cost of the meals from the state education department, which has been transferred in the accounts of the students. Many students do not have bank accounts and they have been given cheques.
The school head of a primary school, requesting anonymity, said, “We have 500 students in the school studying in Classes 1 to 5 and we have 30 quintals each of rice and wheat lying in the midday meal kitchen. The food grains will get damaged as they have been stored for the last one month.”
Sanjeev Thapar, principal of GMSSS, PAU, said, “We have transferred the cooking cost to the bank accounts of students and till mid-March, cooks had been preparing meals daily. After the schools got closed, we received no instructions from the higher authorities to hand over the food grains to students. Last year, we made packets of grains and gave it to students.”
Prabcharan Singh, general manager of the state MDM cell, Mohali, said, “We have received no orders from the Union government to get packets of food grains delivered to the childrens’ homes like last year. Once we receive it, we will direct school heads to do the needful. The cooking cost has been transferred to the bank accounts of thebeneficiaries.”