Expert panel to keep eye on mid-day meals

The HRD ministry Monday constituted a 30-member expert committee to review,monitor and improve the mid-day meal

More than a month after 23 children lost their lives after consuming a mid-day meal in Chhapra,Bihar,the HRD ministry Monday constituted a 30-member expert committee to review,monitor and improve the mid-day meal (MDM) programme,which caters to more than 120 million children across the country.

This comes not long after PM Manmohan Singh,in his Independence Day address,said the MDM scheme will be reformed and concrete measures will be taken to ensure that food provide to students is nutritious and hygienically cooked.

According to HRD ministry officials,the committee will monitor the implementation of MDM programme in terms of safety,hygiene and quality,as well as assess the government mechanisms in place for their effectiveness.

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The committee will meet every three months and closely monitor the MDM programme. This will be a permanent body and it may take sou motu cognizance of mid-day meal related issues or incidents if it deems fit, highly-placed officials from the HRD ministry said.

In a set of guidelines dated July 22,2013,the HRD ministry asked all states to ensure quality,safety and hygiene under the MDM scheme and reminded them to create safer kitchen and storage areas,ensure prior tasting of meals by teachers,conduct social audits,etc.

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