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Time of India

‘Ensure priority foodgrain supply for MDM scheme'

Patna: The education department has issued a directive, signed by additional chief secretary S Siddharth, asking district officers to ensure that the State Food Corporation supplies foodgrain to schools on a priority basis for the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme so that its operation is not disrupted. The letter, issued on Friday, also asked officials to regularly review foodgrain availability in all schools under their jurisdiction to prevent shortages. In addition, the directive warned that in cases where irregularities in the scheme are reported, such as meals not being provided as per the prescribed menu, fraudulent student attendance, poor-quality meals from centralised kitchens or insufficient meal quantities compared to student numbers, responsibility will not rest solely with headteachers. Instead, the district programme officer of the MDM scheme, district programme manager and block or district resource persons will also be held accountable and disciplinary action will be taken against them. The letter said that the operation of the MDM scheme has been hampered by the delayed supply of food grains from the State Food Corporation. "When foodgrains are not delivered on time, cooked meals are not available to children on that day," it said. It added that grains from the targeted public distribution system (TPDS) are often allocated first to other PDS beneficiaries and only then to schools, leading to delays in the MDM scheme. The department said that while action is typically taken against headmasters or through deductions from centralised kitchen bills, the broader network of officials responsible must also be held to account. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !