GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Human Resource Development Department or school Education & Literacy
RAJYASABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3142
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.04.2010
Discrimination in serving mid-day-meal
3142. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:
Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that children belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes are being denied mid-day-meal in certain States, as reported in the media;
(b) if so, Government's reaction in the matter;
(c) the steps proposed to be taken to curb such discrimination;
(d) the current percentage of coverage of Mid-Day-Meal Scheme in the country, Statewise; and
(e) the target for 2010-11?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. D. PURANDESWARI)
(a) & (b): No case where children belonging to Scheduled Castes. Scheduled Tribes and lower castes being denied mid day meal has come to the notice of the Government. However, certain cases of caste discrimination such as refusal to take food cooked by SC/ST cooks, segregation of SC/ST children while serving mid day meal and bringing of own utensils by upper caste children have come to the notice of the Government from time to time. After enquiry by the respective State Governments, these allegations were found to be baseless.
(c): The Mid Day Meal Scheme envisages that food is served to children and actual serving and eating is undertaken in a spirit of togetherness, under hygienic conditions and in an orderly manner.
(d) : State/UT wise percentage of coverage of Mid Day Meal Scheme in the country during 2009-10 is given in the Annexure.
(e): Under the Scheme around 11.19 crore children are expected to be benefitted during the year 20 I 0-11.
Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3142 for 23.04.2010 by Shri. Rajeev Chandrasekhar regarding 'Discrimination in serving mid-day-meal'.
StateIUT wise coverage of Mid Day Meal Scheme in the country in the year 2009-10.
Sl. |
States/UTs |
Number of children |
Average Number of |
Percentage |
No. |
|
Approved by MDM- |
children availed MDM |
coverage |
|
|
PAB for 2009-10 |
up to 31.12.2009. |
|
1 |
Andhra Pradesh |
6342088 |
6342088 |
100.00 |
2 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
181349 |
181349 |
100:00 |
3 |
Assam |
3777900 |
4132618 |
109.39 |
4 |
Bihar |
11109009 |
11241336 |
101.19 |
5 |
Chhattisgarh |
3517727 |
3222073 |
91.60 |
6 |
Goa |
163920 |
163208 |
99.57 |
7 |
Gujarat |
4001502 |
3820509 |
95.48 |
8 |
Haryana |
2136668 |
2039060 |
95.43 |
9 |
Himachal Pradesh |
810234 |
741014 |
91.46 |
10 |
Jammu & Kashmir |
1164988 |
1056126 |
90.66 |
II |
Jharkhand |
3913334 |
4031582 |
103.02 |
12 |
Karnataka |
5699173 |
5502935 |
96.56 |
13 |
Kerala |
3028641 |
2902204 |
95.83 |
14 |
Madhya Pradesh |
9215200 |
9003584 |
97.70 |
15 |
Maharashtra |
12227715 |
12187761 |
99.67 |
16 |
Manipur |
281299 |
225718 |
78.57 |
17 |
Meghalava |
503844 |
476527 |
94.58 |
18 |
Mizoram |
155594 |
161508 |
103.80 |
19 |
Nagaland |
223495 |
230036 |
102.93 |
20 |
Orissa |
5687698 |
5525792 |
97.15 |
21 |
Punjab |
1923323 |
1855841 |
96.49 |
22 |
Rajasthan |
6446325 |
5982376 |
92.80 |
23 |
Sikkim |
92683 |
512391 |
552.84 |
24 |
Tamil Nadu |
5022030 |
4295468 |
85.53 |
25 |
Tripura |
332930 |
468621 |
140.76 |
26 |
Uttarakhand |
107l124 |
1044366 |
97.50 |
27 |
Uttar Pradesh |
15352419 |
12713580 |
82.81 |
28 |
West Bengal |
11370321 |
9268669 |
81.52 |
29 |
A&N islands |
47207 |
36900 |
78.17 |
30 |
Chandigarh |
74898 |
61311 |
81.86 |
31 |
D&N Haveli |
33340 |
35261 |
105.76 |
32 |
Daman & Diu |
19000 |
15227 |
80.14 |
33 |
Delhi |
1638067 |
1318353 |
80.48 |
34 |
Lakshadweep |
10798 |
10192 |
94.39 |
35 |
Puducherry |
95600 |
91368 |
95.57 |
|
Total |
117677443 |
110896952 |
|
Source: Minutes of PAB Meetings for approval of children and working days.