UP to scrutinise school food
After the midday meal tragedy in Bihar, the Uttar Pradesh government has now decided to scrutinise food being served to students in schools here.
According to a letter sent to concerned education department officials by divisional additional director (education) Mahendra Singh Rana all the basic education officers have been asked to step up checking and verification of midday meals being provided at primary schools.
In the first phase, midday meal coordinators will visit schools in all six districts of Lucknow on a monthly basis.
Mr Rana said that each coordinator has been asked to visit at least four schools every month and ensure that the food being given is hygienic, uncontaminated and fresh. Orders have also been issued that students will not be given the meal until a teacher or manager of the school has tasted the food. The official said that they had always been cautious on the quality, quantity and hygiene of the food being served to children under the midday meal scheme, the Bihar tragedy has made them doubly cautious.
He admitted that complaints were received from time to time about insects being found in the meals but timely action had been taken and the food was being prepared in a covered place.
In Uttar Pradesh, a Mid-day Meal Authority was formed in 2006. Under the scheme, rice products are served four days a week and wheat items given on the remaining two days to children.
Under the scheme, 116,107 primary schools with 14,255,482 students and 53,499 higher primary schools having 6,087,620 children in the state are enrolled and served the midday meal.
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