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SECOND HALF YEARLY MONITORING REPORT ON MDM FOR GUJARAT

1st October, 2013 to 31st March, 2014By

Dr. Tattwamasi PaltasinghSardar Patel Institute of Economic & Social Research,

Ahmedabad, GujaratPresented at the Meeting of the Mid-Day-Meal Programme

Approval Board ;held on 17-04-2014 at Delhi.

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Districts Covered

Districts

Bharuch

Rajkot

Surendranagar

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Coverage

Total number of elementary schools covered in the districts= 121

121 Schools

Bharuch40 (06 PS + 34 both

PS & UPS) Rajkot 40 (40 both PS &

UPS )

Surendranagar41(41 both PS &

UPS)

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Blocks covered in three districts

District Blocks

Bharuch Ankleshwar, HansotBharuch, Zagadia, Valiya

Rajkot Jasadan, PadadhariLodhika, Rajkot, Rajkot Corporation

Surendranagar Chotila, Dhargadhra, SayalaHalvad, Muli, Wadhvan

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MDM Trends in Bharuch, Rajkot & Surendranagar

Details Districts

Bharuch Rajkot Surendranagar

No. of children opted for MDM 61.40 % 70.18 % 54.95 %

No. of children attending the school on the day of visit

82.60 % 84.10 % 81.71 %

No. of children availing MDM as per MDM Register

61.15 % 67.34 % 53.03 %

No. of children actually availing MDM on the day of visit

57.02 % 62.51 % 51.05 %

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Regularity in Delivering Food Grains

Bharuch The quality of the delivered food grain is found to be good in 27 visited schools and average in rest of the visited schools.

RajkotQuality of the delivered food grain is found to be good in 13 visited schools while 26 schools are found to have average quality of food grain.

SurendranagarQuality of the delivered food grain is found to be good in 25 visited schools while 10 schools are found to be receiving average quality of food grain.

Food grain is not delivered at the school level in all three districts. In all the visited schools the organizer manages to bring food grain

by using private or public vehicle.

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Regularity in Delivering Fund

BharuchThe state is releasing fund to the district and the district is releasing the funds to the block in advance. However, delay of about one month is reported in 5 schools.

RajkotThere was no delay noticed in State is releasing funds to District / block / school. Releasing funds from the district level takes at least 10-15 days’ time in majority of the visited schools.

SurendranagarMajority of schools are getting funds on regular basis, while few schools are facing some delay in receiving funds. One month delay in receiving funds was noticed in 4 schools.

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Regularity in Delivering Cooking Cost

All the schools are getting the cooking cost in advance regularly through E-transfer in all three districts.

Social Equity

No gender, caste, community discrimination in cooking, serving and sitting arrangement is reported in any of the visited school. However in many schools the boys and girls used to sit in separate rows while the MDM is served. This trend was reported to be optional.

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Variety of Menu

Menu is decided by department of MDM, Government of Gujarat which is uniform to all the schools in the three districts. Most of the visited schools had followed menu with

some variation in 10 schools, 11 schools & 9 schools respectively in Bharuch, Rajkot & Surendranagar District.

Due to lack of standard gadgets or equipment the quantity of the food grain/ vegetables/pulses cooked is found to be less than the recommended quantity in majority of the visited schools.

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One of the school’s MDM Menu

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Quality & Quantity of Meal: For all districts

Details Schools using the amount of pulses

Bharuch Rajkot Surendranagar

Standard amount of pulse for MDM

Recommendation for PS: 30 Grams 10-15 Grams 10 Grams 10-15 Grams

Recommendation for UPS: 45 Grams 20 Grams 20 Grams 20 Grams

In Bharuch the quantity of meal served under MDM is found to be adequate by the children in 27 visited schools. Only 11 visited schools double fortified salt is found to be used in cooking the meal.

In Surendranagar most of the visited schools used vegetable less than 20 grams per child for both PS & UPS in meal preparation as against the recommended amount of 50 grams and 75 grams per child for PS & UPS respectively.

In all district none of the school is found to use standard instrument for measuring the quantity of food to be cooked and served. In all district they used lesser amount of pulses than recommended.

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Status of Cooks/Helper

In most of the visited schools the appointment of cook-cum helpers (CCH) are being made as per the GoI norms, followed at the State level. However in some schools the CCHs are appointed without following the caste & community norm due to non-availability of the staff from certain background. The mode of payment to CCHs in all visited schools is found to be E-transfer.

In most of the schools in three districts the training has not been provided to cook-cum-helpers. In most of the schools health check-up of CCH is not done.

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Infrastructure

Bharuch: Twenty five visited schools are found with Kitchen-cum-Store

constructed and in use. Eleven schools are found with Kitchen cum Store constructed but not in

use due to old model of kitchen with lack of adequate space. In none of the visited schools the kitchen cum store is found to be

under construction. In Kothariya Prathmik Kanyashala (Girls’ School) the MDM is cooked in

one of the classrooms and in 6 schools(Chivaj PS, Kanya Branch No-4 PS, Sarangpur PS, Valiya PS, Ambheta PS and Kumar Branch No-5 PS) it is cooked in open space. They are found to be storing food grain either in a class room or at organizer’s house.

6 old model kitchen sheds are located near the class room.

Conti..

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Rajkot : Thirty three visited schools are found with Kitchen-cum-Store

constructed and in use. Two schools ( S.P.N. PS and Kalipat PS) are found with sanctioned

kitchen but its construction has not started as yet. In 3 schools (Dhandhani PS, Ranchhodasji Maharaj PS -15 and

Taluka school, Juna Pipaliya) the MDM is cooked in open space. In Rupavati PS food is cooked at organizer’s house and in Khokhad PS the MDM is prepared in a classroom due to lack of kitchen facility.

Six schools (Dhandhani PS, Ranchhodasji Maharaj PS-15, Juna Pipaliya PS, Vadani PS, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru PS -67 & Nava Jaspara PS) are found to have interruption in cooking MDM due to non-availability of fire wood or LPG.

Nine schools are found to have kitchen near the class room.Conti..

Infrastructure Conti.

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Surendranagar: Five schools are found with Kitchen cum Store constructed

but not in use due to old model kitchen with less space. Two schools namely, Navagam PS and Jain School no.9,

Vadhvana are found without pucca kitchen-cum-store. Due to lack of kitchen facility they cook food at organizer’s house. 16 visited schools are found with old model of kitchen sheds.

Shree Golasan PS is found to be unhygienic & unventilated. In 4 visited schools kitchen is found to be located near the class room namely Hadala PS, Kanya PS, Charavad; Navagam PS & Kuntdhda PS.

Conti..

Infrastructure Conti.

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Availability of Potable Water & Cooking Utensils

In all 3 districts most of the schools are found with availability of potable water for drinking purpose.Bharuch:

Cooking utensils are found to be available in all the visited schools. However, in Navakasiya PS the cooking utensils are found to be inadequate.

Eating plates are available in all schools except 5 schools (Vagalkhod PS, Nabipur Kanya PS, Zarna PS, Kumar Branch No-5 PS, and Parvat PS).

Conti…

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Rajkot:Most of the visited schools are found to get fund under Kitchen Devices fund for cooking and serving utensils while 7 visited schools (Dhandhani PS, Metoda PS, S.P.N. PS, Kalipat PS, Rupavati PS, Sanganava Shree PS and Nanavada PS) have received funds through donation.

Surendranagar :Cooking utensils are found to be available in all schools but 4 schools (Jorvar-Nagar PS; Pay-Center, Mota Ankevaliya; Habiyasur PS; Pay Centre School, Dhandhulpur) have inadequate cooking utensils.

Other Observation: Majority of the schools received donations from community or through MDM funds for

dishes used for eating.

Availability of potable water & utensils Continue

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Kind of fuel use

Bharuch: Twenty six schools are using gas for cooking MDM while rest of the

schools are using wood for cooking MDM. Sabariya PS is using both gas as well as wood for cooking MDM.

Most of the visited schools have uninterrupted cooking MDM due to non-availability of fire wood or LPG except 3 schools.

Rajkot : Thirty one schools are using LPG for cooking MDM while rest of the

visited schools are using firewood. Primary School Nanavada is using both LPG as well as wood for cooking MDM.

Six schools (Dhandhani PS, Ranchhodasji Maharaj PS-15, Taluka school, Juna Pipaliya; Vadani PS; Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru PS-67 & Nava Jaspara PS) are found to have interruption in cooking MDM due to non-availability of fire wood or LPG.

Conti…

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Kind of fuel use Continue

Surendranagar : Twenty nine schools are using LPG for cooking MDM while 4

visited schools (Vadhavan, PS; Jasapar PS; Godavari PS and Bamanbore PS) are using wood for cooking MDM. Remaining schools are using both gas as well as wood for cooking MDM.

Ten schools (i.e. Pay Center Parekh School No.12, Pay Center School, Dhodi; Rupavati PS; Sudvel PS; Hampur PS; Piparali PS; Supra PS; Tidana PS; Primary Girls School, Rajchradi and Chamundanagar PS) are found to have interruption in cooking MDM due to non-availability of fire wood or LPG.

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Safety & Hygiene

General Impression of the environment for MDM programme is found to be satisfactory in most of visited schools.

In most of the visited schools children are found to be encouraged to wash hands before and after eating meal.

All schools are found with safe cooking process and safe storage of fuel, not posing any hazard except Karmad Kanya Primary School and Sankoi Hanuman Faliya PS at Bharuch; Metoda PS, S.P.N. PS and Kalipat PS- at Rajkot; Dhedhuki PS, Hampur PS, Hirasar PS- at Surendranagar .

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Community Participation

Community participation by SMC & parents is seen on weekly and monthly basis in all 3 districts.

In none of the school, SMC members have maintained a roster for the MDM supervision In any district.

There is no exclusive agenda on MDM in any of the SMC meeting in all 3 districts. MDM is discussed as one of the reference point along with other issues.

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Inspection & Supervision

Bharuch : Inspection register is found to be available only in 08 schools. In 08 visited schools State / District / Block level officers have inspected the MDM

while in rest of the schools no inspection has been done so far. These 8 schools were inspected once in last six month.

Rajkot : Only 15 visited schools Inspection register was available while in rest of the schools

the inspection register was not available. 15 schools get inspected by State / District / Block level officials while rest of the

schools are found where no inspection is done for MDM. 12 schools got inspected quarterly and 3 schools inspected biannually.

Surendranagar : 13 visited schools inspection register was available while in rest of the visited

schools inspection register was not found to be available. Thirteen schools are found to get inspected by State / District / Block level officials

while in rest of the schools no inspection has been done for MDM. Twelve schools get inspected quarterly while five schools get inspected biannually.

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Problem Identification

Food grain is not delivered in any of the visited schools in three districts. The organisers collect food grain from approved ration shop near the village by using their own vehicle, auto, public transport etc.

Advance fund is not received in few schools in all three districts. None of the schools had displayed information regarding received and

balance quantity of food grains utilized during the month. In 12 schools, children are not given micronutrients. In some schools of the visited 3 districts, the MDM is found to be

cooked at the organizer’s home. This trend affects both the quality and quantity of the MDM.

Conti..

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Problem identification Continue….

6 visited schools in Surendranagar, 11 schools in Bharuch & 12 schools in Rajkot are found to be unequipped with fire extinguisher. In many visited schools fire extinguishers are not fixed near the kitchen.

In few schools the placing of the gas burner was found to be unsafe.

Health checkups are not managed by the school staff. The local PHC does the check up on yearly basis. In many instances the staff of the local PHC visits the school without any prior notification and they do not keep the records with the HMs.

Conti…

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In some schools there is no proper sitting arrangement for having MDM. The children consume the hot cooked food sitting on the plane surface or soil without any mat. In two schools at Surendranagar district it was noticed that there was risk of dropping insects from the trees under which the MDM was served.

There is no authentic provision for weighing the food grain; therefore the quantity of food served to the children can be questioned.

Updating of MDM register with reference to the utilization of stocks was not found in most of the visited schools.

In few instances the helpers & cooks are paid quite late by the organizer as they are not aware when the money is deposited.

Conti..

Problem identification Continue…

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The internet connection is not found to be available in any of the visited school. All the schools are yet to use any IT / IT enabled services.

3 schools from all three districts are found with an unsafe storage of fuel.

No social audit mechanism is found in any of the visited school. None of the visited school has received funds under MME

component. No school was found to have any grievance redress mechanism in

the district for MDM. None of the school is having any toll free number.

Problem identification Continue…

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In many visited schools fire extinguishers are not fixed near the kitchen. The school HMs should consider the proximity of the kitchen sheds & the extinguishers.

More variation is requested in the MDM menu as per the need and choice of the students.

Provision of weighing machine should be considered as one of the top priorities. Strict monitoring of MDM at both block and district level is suggested. Updating of MDM register with reference to the utilization of stocks was not

found in most of the visited schools. Monitoring mechanism of MDM programme needs to be emphasized at school,

block as well as at district level. Visit register should be maintained by the MDM staff in all the schools.

The teachers should share the MDM with the students on daily basis & that can be rotated to get the taste of full circle of weekly MDM menu.

Conti….

Suggestions

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Topics related to MDM can be included as a part of the training curriculum for the teachers.

Vegetables as an important source of vitamins and minerals and Dal being good source of protein are required for growth and development of children and both should be provided as per MDM menu & quantity prescribed by the state Government.

There should be some system of transparency regarding salary of MDM staff. The proposal regarding opening separate bank account for each MDM staff including helper & cook should be implemented at the earliest.

Suggestions Contd..

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It is suggested by the MI that all the MDM staff including organiser, helper & cook should have minimum level of education as that can help in maintaining the records, cleanliness and hygiene at the kitchen

The MDM staff in all the schools should be given adequate training on hygiene, safety and nutrition.

There should be separate provision for food grain storage space and proper MDM cooking space .

Kitchen garden should be encouraged in all the schools where there is adequate space.

Suggestions Contd..

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The introduction of cooking gas is a positive step by the State Government that makes the cooking atmosphere more clean & avoid fire hazards.

‘Sukhdi’ scheme introduced by Govt. of Gujarat is a positive step for additional nutrition.

Food provided to the school students through the villagers/members of community called ‘Tithibhojan’ is a positive trend that can help developing school community linkages.

MDM has shown positive impact on the attendance of student especially the children who are from under privileged groups.

Helped in improvement of the social harmony as all children sit and take food together.

Community has developed interest in school activities, due to serving of meal in schools.

Strengths

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..::THANK YOU::..