Students to get quality mid-day meals, says Manish Sisodia

New Delhi: Concerned over the quality of mid-day meals served in the government schools, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said that the government is hopeful of providing nutritious meals with Akshaya Patra foundation, once the proposal is cleared by lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal.

Mr Sisodia said that he has been monitoring the scheme for the last two years and raised questions about the nutrition content. He said that the Akshaya Patra Foundation has been feeding children in the other states with the right spirit of service. “However, the foundation is not carrying out any such activity in the Delhi,” he said.

“In fact, the foundation has no place to set up its kitchen in the city. We have forwarded a proposal to the L-G for providing the foundation a space to set up its kitchen. The proposal, which was rejected by the former L-G, has received positive feedback from Mr Baijal. Soon, Delhi along with Akshaya Patra will be able to serve nutritious and quality food to the school children,” he added. 

Another proposal being considered is that the trustees of the foundation take a land pocket to set up the kitchen. This, however, will require modification of the land use, which comes under the purview of Mr Baijal.

Mr Sisodia added that the present contractors who have been given the charge to cook meals for the children do not have any special experience in the same and were awarded contracts without any proper assessment.

BJP legislator Amanjinder Singh Sirsa asserted that the mid-day meals need stricter laws to be regulated.  “The terms should be stringent while the award of the tender also,” he said.  On this, Mr Sisodia said that a stringent tender document has been prepared by the Delhi Government this time.