Non-centralisation of midday meals affecting 15 lakh kids

NEW DELHI: Nearly 15 lakh students in Delhi government schools are being affected due to the non-centralised system of midday meal in these schools, sources in the Delhi government have said.

The sources said the last three years, the Delhi government has been trying to create a centralised system of midday meals, through one particular NGO, to ensure quality, quantity and hygiene.

However, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has not accepted the scheme, despite have undergone various changes, they added.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Friday, raised this issue in the Assembly and explained how the government has tried to make it happen.

"There have been concerns about the quality of food served in the midday meal in Delhi government schools. For this reason, the government had approached the Akshaya Patra Foundation for supplying high-quality midday meals to all school children," a Delhi government report noted.

After sending this proposal to the LG Anil Baijal, the LG office raised questions over it.

"The proposal should be examined with reference to financial rules and transparency considerations as to whether this work can be awarded and/or land can be allotted to a single agency on nomination basis.

"There could be other similarly placed agencies/NGOs willing to make the same offer," the LG office noted regarding the files.

The Aam Aadmi Party-led government will again send the proposal for the approval.

In its last observation, the LG office had responded, "The office received the file in September 2017 for in-principle approval for issuance of the license to use and allotment of four acres of premium government land to Akshay Patra Foundation, (a private NGO) on nomination basis i.e. without any tender or opportunity to other such NGOs."

It also noted that Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was advised to submit the proposal after due examination with reference to relevant rules/guidelines in consultation with departments concerned.

The basic issue, according to the LG office, is that government land or work cannot be allotted without following a process of tender in a transparent manner.

"The government cannot be seen to be favouring one particular institution over others," noted the LG's office.

Because of this tussle, sources said that implementation of midday meals in Delhi government schools is suffering. Principals and the teachers asserted that various NGOs who serve the food have no coordination and they serve bad food.

The number of private schools in the city fell from 2,113 to 1,715, while the number of government schools has gone up from 1,011 to 1,017.

In 2016-17, in the 1,715 private schools, the total number of boys enrolled was 9.37 lakh, compared to 6.28 lakh girls. All these children are getting affected by the tussle, government sources said.