State Level Replies




Sl No. Replies to the questionnaires in connection with WP(C) No. 618/2013
Name of State:- West Bengal
Question status Remark, if any
1. Total No. of Schools (Govt./ Aided/ Local Bodies) & EGS/AIE Centres obligated to provide Mid day Meal
Govt. + LB 616  
Govt. aided 81563  
NCLP 362  
Madrasa & Maqtab 879  
Total 83420  
2. Total No. of Schools (Govt./ Aided/ Local Bodies) & EGS/AIE Centres actually providing Mid day Meal
Govt. + LB 616  
Govt. aided 81563  
NCLP 362  
Madrasa & Maqtab 879  
Total 83420  
3. Have any budgetary provisions made to provide assistance for cooking cost, infrastructure, procurement of kitchen devices/ construction of kitchen-cum-store room/ cooking utensils/ utensils for children to have food/ pure drinking water/ water for washing and cooking food and washing utensils/ dining room, if yes give details. (Pl. Ref. Clause 2.6 of MDMS) Yes, there are budgetary provisions in the budget. Funds are received in seven components viz. cooking cost, honorarium to cook, cost of foodgrain, kitchen device, construction of kitchen-cum-store, MME & transportation cost for foodgrains. State budget provision for construction of dining hall, LPG installation, Plates and glasses etc. as formulated by the state Govt. are followed accordingly.  
4. Have any State Norms formulated of expenditure under the different components of the Scheme as mentioned above, if yes, give details and bifurcation head-wise (Pl. Ref. Clause 2.6 r/w 3.3 of MDMS) Norms formulated by the MHRD, GOI is being followed ensuring minimum state share as recommended by the MHRD from time to time. Additional honorarium of Rs. 500/- per month to each cook-cum-helper is provided by the state.  
5. Have any guidelines/ modalities developed for day to day management and monitoring of implementation of the MDM scheme, if yes give details. (Pl. Ref. Clause 3.4 to 3.6, 6.2 & Ann. 12 of MDMS) Automated Monitoring System (AMS) has been developed for collection of data from schools on daily basis. Besides, for monitoring the scheme, detailed guidelines have been issued vide 111-CS/2011 dt: 09.06.2011  
6. Have any safety specification formulated for construction of kitchen-cum-store room (Pl. Ref. Clause 2.6 r/w 4.2 & Ann. 9 of MDMS), if yes give details.

Yes,

Guidelines have been issued by the School Education Department, West Bengal.Extract of Para 6.2 .
 
7. Has any system established for Food Corporation of India for continuous and un-interrupted flow of foodgrains to all eligible schools and Centres, if yes give details. (Pl. Ref. Clause 2.6 r/w 3.7 & 3.8 of MDMS) System has been established by the MHRD, Govt. of India to avail foodgrains in all districts and system has been developed by the state Govt. to reach up to school level in systematic way. MemoNo. 52(22)-ES(CMDMP)/GENL-26/2011 dt: 31.01.2013.  
8. Have any guidelines formulated to promote and facilitate peoples’ participation in the MDM Scheme, if yes give details. (Pl. Ref. Clause 2.6 r/w 3.9 & 4.4 of MDMS)

Yes,

Guidelines have been issued by the School Education Department, West Bengal. Extract of Para 6.4 and circular No. 504(38)/ES/CMDMP/GENL-11/2012/PT-III dt: 30.08.2013.
 
9. Have any guidelines framed for preparation of nutritious and economical Mid Day Meal, if yes give details. (Pl. Ref. Clause 4.1 of MDMS) Yes, nutritional norms have been provided to all schools.
Sl No. Items Quantity Per Meal
Primary students Upper Primary Students
1 Food-grains (Rice) 100gms 150gms
2 Pulse 20gms 30gms
3 Vegetables (leafy also) 50gms 75gms
4 Oil& Fat 5.0gms 07.5gms
5 Salt & Condiments As per need As per need
 
10. Has any IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activity undertaken to inform the end beneficiary i.e. the child through the parents about their fundamental right to receive and duty of the State to serve good quality and good quantity of hygienic food in dignified manner, if yes give details. (Pl. ref. Cl. 3.10) Yes, Booklets and leaflets have been distributed. Radio jingles have been broadcasted as IEC activities in different level in connection with the programme. Further instruction was issued vide Memo No. 191(26)-ES/PLNG/OMDM-31/2010 dt: 19.06.2017 for creation of awareness up to the beneficiary level.  
11. Has any dedicated mechanism developed for public grievance redressal with wide publicity and easy accessibility, if yes give details. Is there any separate web-site. (Pl. Ref. Clause 6.3 of MDMS) For maintaining transparency of MDM a notice board has been erected in front of every MDM running school displaying the following particulars for public view;

i) Total no. of students covered under the scheme;

ii) No. of days and time when the meals are served;

iii) Weekly menu;

iv) No. of students present on that day;

v) No. of students taken MDM on that very day;

vi) Telephone no. of BDO, SDO, SI of schools, DI of schools, nearby health centers, Sub-divisional /district health centers are painted on the wall.

vii) Today’s menu; Stock of rice as on that day;

Online Grievance Redressal system has been made operational. Complaint Boxes are kept at every concerned level; Telephone numbers have also been given to the Web-site for public view;

At State Level, Grievance can be sent to the following numbers:-

Phone No. (033)2359-6761, 6798, 6799, Fax-(033)23344052,

E-mail: director.cmdmp@gmail.com

Website: www.mdm.wbsed.gov.in

 
12. Have State Level, District Level and Block Level Steering-cum-Monitoring Committees been constituted, if yes give composition of each of the committee (Pl. Ref. Clause 3.2 r/w Ann. 8 of MDMS)

Yes.

i) State Level Monitoring Committee is headed by the Chief Secretary to the Govt. of West Bengal and 18 members;

ii) District Level Monitoring Committee is headed by the District Magistrate of the respective district and 10 members;

iii) Sub-division Level Monitoring Committee is headed by the SDO and BDO, Sub-divisional Controller (F&S), Sabhapatis of Panchayat Samities, Chairman of Municipalities, BMOH, CDPO, AI of School as members.

Iv) Block Level Committee is headed by the BDO & BMOH, Grampanchayat Pradhans, VEC representatives, 5 Head mater /Head mistresses, Inspector of F&S Deptt., SI of school as members. (Copy of the circular No. 111-CS/2011 dt: 09.06.2011 , 263-SE(CMDMP)/MTG-05/2010 dt: 27.07.2016 , 491-ES(CMDMP)/ESTT/01/2010-PT-II dt: 23.08.2011).

 
13. What steps have taken for mobilization of mothers to watch Mid Day Meal (Pl. Ref. Circular dated 27.12.2005 of MHRD) D.O. No. F.13-10/2005-EE-5(MDM) (Pt.) dt: 27.12.2005 of the MHRD, Govt. of India has been circulated among the Nodal Offices throughout the state to ensure community participation including mothers.  
14. Does the State Government prepare and send all necessary information to MHRD in the manner as required under Para 5.1 r/w Ann. 11 and Para 5.4 r/w Form 1-3 of MDMS. Has any State Level Portal made to make available all this information for public at large. Yes, Annual Work Plan & Budget and Quarterly return are being provided to the MHRD in due time. Yes, State Level Portal (www.mdm.wbsed. gov.in.) has been developed.  
15. What is the status of setting up of dedicated website for MDM at State level linked with districts, please furnish the website address. www.mdm.wbsed.gov.in has been developed exclusively for MDM.  
16. What are the steps taken for training of cooks-cum-helpers on continuous basis on Food Safety and Hygiene (Pl. ref. guidelines dated 13.02.2015 of MDM Division, MHRD. To increase the skill of the Cook-cum-helpers, regular training, in a phased manner, has been imparted at Taratala Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata. Thus, these trained Cook-cum-helpers become master trainers and impart training to other Cook-cum-helpers of the districts. So far training of 60 cook-cum-helpers (Master Trainers) from different districts has been completed.  
17. Is there any consequential provision of law in case a person is found guilty of not properly implementing various aspects of the Mid Day Meal Scheme? If not, then is the State has any proposal to bring such law in force for ensuring better implementation of MDM Scheme.

Yes,

There are provisions for punishment through departmental proceedings under the existing rules for dereliction of duties with regard to implementation of any state/central Govt. policy and programme which includes MDM under the existing rules viz.

i) West Bengal Primary Education (Conduct of Service of Teachers) of Primary School Rules, 2001; (Rule 3,7,8,9 & 10).

ii) The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (Conduct and Discipline of Teaching and Non-teaching Staff) Regulations 2004 (Regulation 3,20,27 and 28) and

iii) Rules for Management of Recognized Non-govt. Institution (Aided and Un-aided) 1969 as amended up to date. (Rule 28/8 & 28(8a).