TV
Despite the government’s noble initiative to provide nutritious meals to children through the Midday Meal Scheme (MDM), its implementation in Belaguntha block in Ganjam district paints a grim picture. While the scheme is intended to improve students' health across government schools by offering wholesome food, the reality here is far from its purpose.
Reports from Belaguntha highlight that students are being served poor-quality food while lakhs of rupees are allegedly being misappropriated every month. Meals are often rice either undercooked or mushy, served with watery dalma. Students are seen struggling to eat, picking through the food, with some even complaining of nausea.
Inspection of the dalma reveals it to be nothing more than water with barely any vegetables or lentils. The rice floats in this watery mix, and students are forced to strain it like fermented rice (pakhala) to make it edible. Even the potatoes used in the meal are reportedly rotten or spoiled, raising serious hygiene and nutrition concerns.
This is the daily scene during lunch at many government schools in the area. Children sit in rows, receiving rice and dalma that is more a burden than a meal. Several students leave their meals unfinished, some even vomiting due to the poor quality, ultimately dumping the food into bins.
In Belaguntha block, cooked food is supplied to schools through a Central Kitchen system operated by a women's self-help group. However, the quality of the food prepared by this group has come under serious scrutiny. Allegations suggest that despite repeated complaints from both students and school authorities, no corrective action has been taken.
The scheme that was supposed to nourish children is now mired in accusations of corruption and neglect, with stakeholders demanding immediate intervention from higher authorities to ensure accountability and restore the integrity of the Midday Meal Program in the region.
Despite rules mandating the daily provision of nutritious meals such as rice, dal, dalma, soya curry, eggs, and ragi laddus, for many students, these meals have become nothing more than a distant dream. Allegations have emerged that the organization entrusted with supplying these meals has been misappropriating resources and providing substandard food to over 13,000 students across 111 schools in Belaguntha block.
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While some children are forced to consume the poor-quality meals, others have started bringing food from home as they dislike the food provided at school. The organization in question has reportedly been supplying low-grade food for more than the past five years, allegedly enriching itself in the process.
When questioned about the matter, Bhanjanagar Sub-Collector Umashankar Behera stated that he has directed the Cluster Education Officer to investigate the truth behind the allegations.
"If the claims are found to be true, strict action will be taken against the organization,” said Behera.
