West Bengal: 13-member central team begins review of midday meal scheme

A senior official said that a 13-member central team on Monday, January 30 started reviewing the midday meal scheme in West Bengal schools. The joint review mission which includes Union Education Ministry officials, one nutritionist, one representative of the UNICEF along with the director of PM Poshan Scheme, V Bhaskar, held a high-level meeting with state education department officials, he said, as stated in a report by PTI. 

The officials, who are scheduled to conduct their review till February 6, started visiting schools in districts and they began with North 24 Parganas today. Further, the team which reached the city on January 29, Sunday evening, will check school infrastructure and food quality served to school children under the mid-day meal scheme.

Giving more details, an official of the team said after the meeting, "This is a routine visit. We carry out such reviews in the states every year. We will try to visit as many districts as possible. Today we met the officials of the School Education department. Today is a testing day." Additionally, she said that they are likely to speak to school children and their parents. 

Moreover, recently, the Centre allocated a fund of Rs 372 crore under the PM Poshan scheme to the state in order to provide nutrition to school students. It has also released an additional fund of Rs 250 crore to the school education department for infrastructural development, as stated in a report by PTI.