Prior to the year 2001-02, the food grain (Rice) was provided by the Government of India @ 3 kg per child per month for 10 academic months in a year and distributed as dry ration to the children. Therefore, there was no financial burden on the State Government for implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. However, the Supreme Court in its order Dated 18th November, 2001 in W. P. (C) No. 196 of 2001- Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberties versus the Union of India and others, directed the State Government to provide cooked mid-day meal containing 300 calories and 8-12 grams of proteins per child per day for a minimum of 200 days in a year to every child in Government and Government aided Primary schools.
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The National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NPNSPE) commonly known as the Mid Day Meal Scheme has been implemented in the State of Meghalaya since 1995 by providing uncooked rice to primary school children @ 3 Kg per child per month. As per directive of the Supreme Court vide its order dated 28th November 2001 all the State Governments including the Government of Meghalaya were directed to implement the Mid Day Meal Scheme by providing every child in Government and Government aided lower primary schools with a cooked Mid Day Meal. The cost of conversion of food grains into hot cooked meals has to be met jointly by the Government of India @ Rs. 1.80p per child per day and the State Government @ Re. 0.20p per child per day for lower primary schools and @Rs.2.30 per child per day by Government of India and @ Re.0.20p by the State Government for upper primary schools. As it stands now cooked Mid Day Meal has been provided to all Government, Government aided primary schools and EGS Centres and upper primary schools in EBBs in the State. For implementation of the scheme, the Government of India provides food grain free of cost through Food Corporation of India (FCI). The Government of India also reimburses the cost of transportation of rice @ Rs. 50/- per quintal, which has been subsequently revised to @ Rs. 100/- per quintal. The transportation cost is initially paid by the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDA) of the respective District and reimbursed by the Government of India..
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In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court of India, the State Government has taken steps to provide cooked meals for 10 months in a year to all the Government and Government aided primary schools and EGS centres. Government issued Notification No. EDN.130/93/837, Dtd. 29-11-2002 directing school Managing Committees of all Government and Government aided schools to implement provision of cooked Mid-Day Meal to all school children. Similar instructions have been issued by the Directorate of Elementary and Mass Education vide No.DEME/GB/Misc/MDM/4/2002/60, Dated: 10-12-2002 for providing cooked meals with required calories and proteins preferably locally available vegetables including fruits and bananas.
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