jamshedpur7 hours ago
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children in line of food
- JMDMA Claims – Delay in making system for MDM accounts
- Cash given with rice till September 2020, only rice from December to February, that too closed from March
The MDM (mid-day meal) of about 1.75 lakh children studying in 1600 government schools of East Singhbhum district till class VIII is completely closed since March-2021. The Jharkhand government had announced that even after the closure of schools in the lockdown, MDM would be provided to the enrolled children. For this, from rice to other food items will be delivered to the homes of the children. The government’s instruction was that under no circumstances the MDM of the children should be closed.
According to the information received from the schools, rice was given to the children till September-2020. Also, cash (cooking cost) was given to buy pulses, potatoes, salt and oil and to prepare food. After this, MDM remained closed for two months. Rice was given from December-2020 to February-2021, but the cooking cost was stopped. Rice is also not being given from March-2021. This is the first time that MDM is completely closed in the district for almost four months. On the other hand, Jharkhand Mid Day Meal Authority (JMDMA) says – a system is being made to bring transparency in the amount sent to schools for mid-day meals. Due to this there is a delay in funding the schools.
Order was issued to purchase material in November
In November-2020, the Department of School Education and Literacy had issued an order to all the districts. It said that in government schools, rice was being given to children up to class VIII. The amount of cooking cost was being sent to his bank account. But now this will not happen. The amount of cooking cost is less. Children find it difficult to buy material from this. Therefore, now the school itself will buy the material and give it to the children.
Children ask for food, but cannot give it – parents
Lalji Murmu, a resident of Gabarghusi Panchayat of Patmada, said – they somehow manage to manage the time. Earlier children used to eat at school in the afternoon. When the lockdown was imposed, he used to get rice and money from the school, and he used to arrange for the children’s food at home. But now I am not getting anything. Children ask for food in the afternoon. Sometimes they are provided, sometimes they are kept hungry.
The district is not getting the amount since September-2020
Since September, the district is not getting the amount of mid-day meal from the state. Due to this, there is a problem in MDM operation. It will be started as soon as the amount is received.
-Vineet Kumar, DSE