Mid-Day meals go out of reach to 30 percent eligible students

Jammu: In Jammu and Kashmir nearly 30 percent eligible students studying in government schools are not being served the Mid-Day meals (MDM).
With a motive to maintain the retention rate and boost the primary education to the students of government schools—contrary to that the officials of MDM have failed to serve the meals to 2,765,76 students during the academic year 2019-2020.
As per the reports in the academic year 2019-20, total of 9,240,36 students of government schools were eligible to receive the free MDM, however a total of 6,4746,0 students have enjoyed the perks of the meals.
“During the year 2019-20, against the Project Approval Board (PAB) approval of 22,227 number of schools with the enrollment of 9,240,36 number of children, Jammu and Kashmir has covered 12,908 Primary Schools (PS) and 9319 Upper Primary Schools (UPS) with the coverage of 6,474,60 number of children,” it reads.
The MDM authorities said that for the current Financial Year 2020-21, the Jammu and Kashmir representatives have proposed serving meals to 7,017,61 number of children including 4,648,32 from PS and 2,369,29 of UPS.
In the meantime, the MDM representatives from Jammu and Kashmir in the PAB meeting have also said, “The Mid-Day meal was regularly served to the children during the current financial year 2018-19 in the JK UT.”
“However, interruption in serving the meals in the schools arises because of circumstances that arose after August-5th in 2019 when schools were closed .For the next financial year (2020-21) the scheme will be implemented smoothly,” the officials said.