PANAJI: The education department has decided to revise the mid-day meal rates with effect from September 1, 2016, following the government clearance to its proposal as regards hiking the rates of these meals supplied to the students of primary and upper primary schools, under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
A related circular issued by the director of education G P Bhat on September 20, 2016 states that the revised rate towards mid-day meal provided to the primary school students is Rs 6.11 per student, per day, with 40 paise hike per meal. It also informs that the revised rate towards mid-day meal provided to the upper primary school students is Rs 7.26 per student, per day, with 47 paise hike per meal.
The food items listed in the mid-day meal menu are supplied to the schools by the self-help groups or mahila mandals or parent-teachers associations. It may be recalled that these mid-day meal suppliers had recently threatened to stop supplying the meals to schools if the department of education did not hike the meal rates.
Following this demand, the department of education had conducted a survey to determine current market rates of ingredients used to prepare mid-day meals for students.
Incidentally, the increase in price of local bread had also forced the mid-day meal suppliers to demand a hike in the rates of these meals.
The department of education circular further informs that the self help groups/ mahila mandals/ parent-teachers associations supplying mid-day meals to schools should submit bill claims with revised rates separately.
The director of education informed this daily that the menu, the quantity, the calories linked to the food items supplied and other conditions would however remain the same. The decision to hike rates of mid-day meal will have financial implications of additional Rs 1.40 crore, annually.
The earlier rate towards mid-day meal provided to the primary school students was Rs 5.71 per student, per day, while the earlier rate towards mid-day meal provided to the upper primary school students was Rs 6.79 per student, per day.
Presently, a total of 1.58 lakh students around the state are covered under the Mid-day Meal Scheme.