Patna: District Magistrates (DMs) across Bihar have been instructed to ensure the timely delivery of food grains to schools for the mid-day meal scheme. The directive comes from Dr S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, who issued a letter on Friday stressing that school children must not be deprived of meals due to administrative delays.
The responsibility of coordinating with the Bihar State Food Corporation (SFC) for grain distribution has now been placed directly on the DMs, who are expected to treat the scheme with the same priority as other government programmes. Regular reviews of grain availability have also been mandated.
Disruptions Due to Delayed Supply
The mid-day meal scheme, intended to combat child malnutrition and boost school attendance, has faced repeated disruptions due to late grain supplies. The letter highlights that the SFC often prioritises ration shops over schools, leading to situations where children go without meals on scheduled days.
Until now, only school headmasters or centralized kitchens were penalised for such irregularities. The new directive expands accountability: in cases of fraud, menu violations, or absence of students, disciplinary action will also extend to District Programme Officers (DPO-MDM), District Programme Managers, and Block or District Resource Workers.
