IANS
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 1
School students would be paid food security allowance in case mid-day meals are not supplied, according to a notification for the ‘Mid-day Meal Rules, 2015’, the government said on Thursday.The new rules, which came into immediate effect, would also provide for temporary utilisation of other funds available with the school for mid-day meals in case the school exhausts the funds for any reason.
“In accordance with the provisions of the National Food Security Act, the human resource development ministry has finalised the mid-day meal rules after consultation with the states and other related central ministries.
“The rules will be known as Mid-day Meal Rules, 2015 and will be in effect from the date of notification (September 30) in the gazette of India,” an official statement said.
Under the new guidelines, monthly tests of meals on a random basis would be conducted by accredited laboratories to check quality.
The rules also say the concerned state governments will fix responsibility on the person or agency if meals are not provided on three consecutive school days or five days in a month.
“These rules and their effective compliance by implementing agencies in the states will ensure better regularity in serving mid-day meals in schools and also improve quality of the meals as well as overall implementation of the mid-day meal scheme in the country,” the statement said.
Mid-day meals to be tested by labs each month
Mid-day meals provided to students at schools will be tested each month by accredited laboratories to ensure nutritional standards and quality, an official release here said on Thursday.
The hot-cooked meal provided to children shall be evaluated and certified by the government food research laboratories or any laboratory accredited or recognised by law, the rules notified by the central government said.
The rules make it mandatory for schools to dig into funds meant for other purposes if the funds meant for providing mid-day meals to students are exhausted for some reason, an official statement here said on Thursday.
The schools will also have to ensure meals are cooked in a hygienic manner. Schools in urban area may use the facility of centralised kitchens wherever required in accordance with the guidelines issued by the central government and the meal shall be served to children at respective school only, the rules notified said.
