1. education
2. school

SECOND HALF YEARLY MONITORING REPORT ON
MDM FOR GUJARAT
1st October, 2013 to 31st March, 2014
By
Dr. Tattwamasi Paltasingh
Sardar Patel Institute of Economic & Social Research,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Presented at the Meeting of the Mid-Day-Meal Programme
Approval Board ;held on 17-04-2014 at Delhi.
1
Districts Covered
Districts
Bharuch
Surendranagar
Rajkot
2
Coverage
Total number of elementary schools covered in
the districts= 121
121 Schools
Bharuch
Surendranagar
40 (06 PS + 34 both
PS & UPS)
41(41 both PS &
Rajkot
UPS)
40 (40 both PS &
UPS )
3
Blocks covered in three districts
District
Blocks
Bharuch
Ankleshwar, Hansot
Bharuch, Zagadia, Valiya
Rajkot
Jasadan, Padadhari
Lodhika, Rajkot, Rajkot Corporation
Surendranagar
Chotila, Dhargadhra, Sayala
Halvad, Muli, Wadhvan
4
MDM Trends in Bharuch, Rajkot & Surendranagar
Details
No. of children opted for MDM
No. of children attending the
school on the day of visit
No. of children availing MDM as
per MDM Register
No. of children actually availing
MDM on the day of visit
Districts
Bharuch
Rajkot Surendranagar
61.40 % 70.18 %
54.95 %
82.60 % 84.10 %
81.71 %
61.15 % 67.34 %
53.03 %
57.02 % 62.51 %
51.05 %
5
Regularity in Delivering Food Grains
 Bharuch
The quality of the delivered food grain is found to be good in 27 visited
schools and average in rest of the visited schools.
 Rajkot
Quality of the delivered food grain is found to be good in 13 visited
schools while 26 schools are found to have average quality of food
grain.
 Surendranagar
Quality of the delivered food grain is found to be good in 25 visited
schools while 10 schools are found to be receiving average quality of
food grain.
Food grain is not delivered at the school level in all three districts.
In all the visited schools the organizer manages to bring food grain
by using private or public vehicle.
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Regularity in Delivering Fund
 Bharuch
The state is releasing fund to the district and the district is releasing the
funds to the block in advance. However, delay of about one month is
reported in 5 schools.
 Rajkot
There was no delay noticed in State is releasing funds to District / block
/ school. Releasing funds from the district level takes at least 10-15
days’ time in majority of the visited schools.
 Surendranagar
Majority of schools are getting funds on regular basis, while few
schools are facing some delay in receiving funds. One month delay in
receiving funds was noticed in 4 schools.
7
Regularity in Delivering Cooking Cost
 All the schools are getting the cooking cost in advance
regularly through E-transfer in all three districts.
Social Equity
 No gender, caste, community discrimination in cooking, serving
and sitting arrangement is reported in any of the visited school.
However in many schools the boys and girls used to sit in
separate rows while the MDM is served. This trend was reported
to be optional.
8
Variety of Menu
Menu is decided by department of MDM,
Government of Gujarat which is uniform to all the
schools in the three districts.
 Most of the visited schools had followed menu with
some variation in 10 schools, 11 schools & 9 schools
respectively in Bharuch, Rajkot & Surendranagar
District.
 Due to lack of standard gadgets or equipment the
quantity of the food grain/ vegetables/pulses cooked
is found to be less than the recommended quantity
in majority of the visited schools.
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One of the school’s MDM Menu
10
Quality & Quantity of Meal: For all districts
 In Bharuch the quantity of meal served under MDM is found to be adequate by the
children in 27 visited schools. Only 11 visited schools double fortified salt is found to be
used in cooking the meal.
 In Surendranagar most of the visited schools used vegetable less than 20 grams per child
for both PS & UPS in meal preparation as against the recommended amount of 50 grams
and 75 grams per child for PS & UPS respectively.
 In all district none of the school is found to use standard instrument for measuring the
quantity of food to be cooked and served. In all district they used lesser amount of pulses
than recommended.
Details
Schools using the amount of pulses
Bharuch
Rajkot
Surendranagar
Standard amount of pulse for MDM
Recommendation for PS: 30 Grams
Recommendation for UPS: 45 Grams
10-15 Grams 10 Grams 10-15 Grams
20 Grams
20 Grams
20 Grams
11
Status of Cooks/Helper
 In most of the visited schools the appointment of cookcum helpers (CCH) are being made as per the GoI norms,
followed at the State level. However in some schools the
CCHs are appointed without following the caste &
community norm due to non-availability of the staff from
certain background. The mode of payment to CCHs in all
visited schools is found to be E-transfer.
In most of the schools in three districts the
training has not been provided to cook-cumhelpers. In most of the schools health check-up of
CCH is not done.
12
Infrastructure
Bharuch:
 Twenty five visited schools are found with Kitchen-cum-Store
constructed and in use.
 Eleven schools are found with Kitchen cum Store constructed but
not in use due to old model of kitchen with lack of adequate space.
 In none of the visited schools the kitchen cum store is found to be
under construction.
 In Kothariya Prathmik Kanyashala (Girls’ School) the MDM is cooked
in one of the classrooms and in 6 schools(Chivaj PS, Kanya Branch
No-4 PS, Sarangpur PS, Valiya PS, Ambheta PS and Kumar Branch
No-5 PS) it is cooked in open space. They are found to be storing
food grain either in a class room or at organizer’s house.
 6 old model kitchen sheds are located near the class room.
Conti..
13
Infrastructure Conti.
Rajkot :





Thirty three visited schools are found with Kitchen-cum-Store
constructed and in use.
Two schools ( S.P.N. PS and Kalipat PS) are found with sanctioned
kitchen but its construction has not started as yet.
In 3 schools (Dhandhani PS, Ranchhodasji Maharaj PS -15 and Taluka
school, Juna Pipaliya) the MDM is cooked in open space. In Rupavati
PS food is cooked at organizer’s house and in Khokhad PS the MDM is
prepared in a classroom due to lack of kitchen facility.
Six schools (Dhandhani PS, Ranchhodasji Maharaj PS-15, Juna Pipaliya
PS, Vadani PS, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru PS -67 & Nava Jaspara PS) are
found to have interruption in cooking MDM due to non-availability
of fire wood or LPG.
Nine schools are found to have kitchen near the class room.
Conti..
14
Infrastructure Conti.
Surendranagar:
 Five schools are found with Kitchen cum Store
constructed but not in use due to old model kitchen with
less space.
 Two schools namely, Navagam PS and Jain School no.9,
Vadhvana are found without pucca kitchen-cum-store.
Due to lack of kitchen facility they cook food at
organizer’s house. 16 visited schools are found with old
model of kitchen sheds.
 Shree Golasan PS is found to be unhygienic &
unventilated. In 4 visited schools kitchen is found to be
located near the class room namely Hadala PS, Kanya PS,
Charavad; Navagam PS & Kuntdhda PS.
Conti..
15
Availability of Potable Water & Cooking Utensils
In all 3 districts most of the schools are found with
availability of potable water for drinking purpose.
Bharuch:
 Cooking utensils are found to be available in all the visited
schools. However, in Navakasiya PS the cooking utensils
are found to be inadequate.
 Eating plates are available in all schools except 5 schools
(Vagalkhod PS, Nabipur Kanya PS, Zarna PS, Kumar Branch
No-5 PS, and Parvat PS).
Conti…
16
Availability of potable water & utensils Continue
Rajkot:
Most of the visited schools are found to get fund under
Kitchen Devices fund for cooking and serving utensils while
7 visited schools (Dhandhani PS, Metoda PS, S.P.N. PS,
Kalipat PS, Rupavati PS, Sanganava Shree PS and Nanavada
PS) have received funds through donation.
Surendranagar :
Cooking utensils are found to be available in all schools but
4 schools (Jorvar-Nagar PS; Pay-Center, Mota Ankevaliya;
Habiyasur PS; Pay Centre School, Dhandhulpur) have
inadequate cooking utensils.
Other Observation: Majority of the schools received
donations from community or through MDM funds
for dishes used for eating.
17
Kind of fuel use
Bharuch:
 Twenty six schools are using gas for cooking MDM while rest of
the schools are using wood for cooking MDM. Sabariya PS is
using both gas as well as wood for cooking MDM.
 Most of the visited schools have uninterrupted cooking MDM
due to non-availability of fire wood or LPG except 3 schools.
Rajkot :
 Thirty one schools are using LPG for cooking MDM while rest of
the visited schools are using firewood. Primary School
Nanavada is using both LPG as well as wood for cooking MDM.
 Six schools (Dhandhani PS, Ranchhodasji Maharaj PS-15,
Taluka school, Juna Pipaliya; Vadani PS; Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru PS-67 & Nava Jaspara PS) are found to have interruption
in cooking MDM due to non-availability of fire wood or LPG.
Conti…
18
Kind of fuel use Continue
Surendranagar :
 Twenty nine schools are using LPG for cooking MDM
while 4 visited schools (Vadhavan, PS; Jasapar PS;
Godavari PS and Bamanbore PS) are using wood for
cooking MDM. Remaining schools are using both gas as
well as wood for cooking MDM.
 Ten schools (i.e. Pay Center Parekh School No.12, Pay
Center School, Dhodi; Rupavati PS; Sudvel PS; Hampur
PS; Piparali PS; Supra PS; Tidana PS; Primary Girls School,
Rajchradi and Chamundanagar PS) are found to have
interruption in cooking MDM due to non-availability of
fire wood or LPG.
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Safety & Hygiene
 General Impression of the environment for MDM
programme is found to be satisfactory in most of
visited schools.
 In most of the visited schools children are found to
be encouraged to wash hands before and after
eating meal.
 All schools are found with safe cooking process and
safe storage of fuel, not posing any hazard except
Karmad Kanya Primary School and Sankoi Hanuman
Faliya PS at Bharuch; Metoda PS, S.P.N. PS and
Kalipat PS- at Rajkot; Dhedhuki PS, Hampur PS,
Hirasar PS- at Surendranagar .
20
Community Participation
 Community participation by SMC & parents is
seen on weekly and monthly basis in all 3
districts.
 In none of the school, SMC members have
maintained a roster for the MDM supervision In
any district.
 There is no exclusive agenda on MDM in any of
the SMC meeting in all 3 districts. MDM is
discussed as one of the reference point along
with other issues.
21
Inspection & Supervision
Bharuch :


Inspection register is found to be available only in 08 schools.
In 08 visited schools State / District / Block level officers have inspected the MDM
while in rest of the schools no inspection has been done so far. These 8 schools
were inspected once in last six month.
Rajkot :
 Only 15 visited schools Inspection register was available while in rest of the schools
the inspection register was not available.
 15 schools get inspected by State / District / Block level officials while rest of the
schools are found where no inspection is done for MDM. 12 schools got inspected
quarterly and 3 schools inspected biannually.
Surendranagar :
 13 visited schools inspection register was available while in rest of the
visited schools inspection register was not found to be available.
 Thirteen schools are found to get inspected by State / District / Block level officials
while in rest of the schools no inspection has been done for MDM.
 Twelve schools get inspected quarterly while five schools get inspected biannually.
22
Problem Identification
 Food grain is not delivered in any of the visited schools in three
districts. The organisers collect food grain from approved ration
shop near the village by using their own vehicle, auto, public
transport etc.
 Advance fund is not received in few schools in all three districts.
 None of the schools had displayed information regarding received
and balance quantity of food grains utilized during the month.
 In 12 schools, children are not given micronutrients.
 In some schools of the visited 3 districts, the MDM is found to be
cooked at the organizer’s home. This trend affects both the
quality and quantity of the MDM.
Conti..
23
Problem identification Continue….
 6 visited schools in Surendranagar, 11 schools in
Bharuch & 12 schools in Rajkot are found to be
unequipped with fire extinguisher. In many visited
schools fire extinguishers are not fixed near the
kitchen.
 In few schools the placing of the gas burner was found
to be unsafe.
 Health checkups are not managed by the school staff.
The local PHC does the check up on yearly basis. In
many instances the staff of the local PHC visits the
school without any prior notification and they do not
keep the records with the HMs.
Conti…
24
Problem identification Continue…
 In some schools there is no proper sitting arrangement for having
MDM. The children consume the hot cooked food sitting on the
plane surface or soil without any mat. In two schools at
Surendranagar district it was noticed that there was risk of
dropping insects from the trees under which the MDM was
served.
 There is no authentic provision for weighing the food grain;
therefore the quantity of food served to the children can be
questioned.
 Updating of MDM register with reference to the utilization of
stocks was not found in most of the visited schools.
 In few instances the helpers & cooks are paid quite late by the
organizer as they are not aware when the money is deposited.
Conti..
25
Problem identification Continue…
 The internet connection is not found to be available in any of the
visited school. All the schools are yet to use any IT / IT enabled
services.
 3 schools from all three districts are found with an unsafe storage
of fuel.
 No social audit mechanism is found in any of the visited school.
 None of the visited school has received funds under MME
component.
 No school was found to have any grievance redress mechanism in
the district for MDM. None of the school is having any toll free
number.
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Suggestions
 In many visited schools fire extinguishers are not fixed near the kitchen.
The school HMs should consider the proximity of the kitchen sheds & the
extinguishers.
 More variation is requested in the MDM menu as per the need and choice
of the students.
 Provision of weighing machine should be considered as one of the top
priorities.
 Strict monitoring of MDM at both block and district level is suggested.
 Updating of MDM register with reference to the utilization of stocks was
not found in most of the visited schools.
 Monitoring mechanism of MDM programme needs to be emphasized at
school, block as well as at district level. Visit register should be maintained
by the MDM staff in all the schools.
 The teachers should share the MDM with the students on daily basis &
that can be rotated to get the taste of full circle of weekly MDM menu.
Conti….
27
Suggestions Contd..
 Topics related to MDM can be included as a part of the
training curriculum for the teachers.
 Vegetables as an important source of vitamins and
minerals and Dal being good source of protein are
required for growth and development of children and
both should be provided as per MDM menu & quantity
prescribed by the state Government.
 There should be some system of transparency regarding
salary of MDM staff. The proposal regarding opening
separate bank account for each MDM staff including
helper & cook should be implemented at the earliest.
28
Suggestions Contd..
 It is suggested by the MI that all the MDM staff including
organiser, helper & cook should have minimum level of
education as that can help in maintaining the records,
cleanliness and hygiene at the kitchen
 The MDM staff in all the schools should be given
adequate training on hygiene, safety and nutrition.
 There should be separate provision for food grain storage
space and proper MDM cooking space .
 Kitchen garden should be encouraged in all the schools
where there is adequate space.
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Strengths
 The introduction of cooking gas is a positive step by the State
Government that makes the cooking atmosphere more clean &
avoid fire hazards.
 ‘Sukhdi’ scheme introduced by Govt. of Gujarat is a positive step for
additional nutrition.
 Food provided to the school students through the
villagers/members of community called ‘Tithibhojan’ is a positive
trend that can help developing school community linkages.
 MDM has shown positive impact on the attendance of student
especially the children who are from under privileged groups.
 Helped in improvement of the social harmony as all children sit and
take food together.
 Community has developed interest in school activities, due to
serving of meal in schools.
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