TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Wednesday put the responsibility of ensuring proper implementation of the midday meal scheme on the Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs), saying that the government will not clear bills submitted by Self Help Groups (SHGs) unless their services were certified as satisfactory by PTAs.
He said that it was for the school managements along with the PTAs to decide the mechanisms by which the scheme should be implemented in their respective institutions in addition to choosing the self help groups to cater to the midday meals for children.
Stating that in case any school management along with the PTA wanted to implement the scheme themselves then the government would disburse the money to the institutions accordingly.
“The midday meal scheme has to be implemented as per the guidelines,” he said while interacting with North Goa PTAs.
He asserted that the PTAs must act more responsibly when it comes to certifying the services of SHGs supplying meals to children.
Earlier, the chief minister met Self Help Groups at the education department in Porvorim and discussed various issues concerning the implementation of the scheme. Parrikar agreed that there was need for change in the midday meal menu and mulled several proposals while interacting with the self help groups. Most felt that sheera should be struck out from the menu and instead usaal bhaji be given.
He mulled several suggestions which included a proposal for setting up central kitchens on the lines of Akshaypatra which prepares food and caters for five lakh to six lakh children under the midday meal scheme in Karnataka.
Parrikar also suggested that government appoints food inspectors for inspecting the midday meals prepared by SHGs and continuous monitoring of the meals prepared and samples checked regularly.
The Self Help Groups also expressed certain difficulties from their side claiming that they were not getting adequate cooperation from the schools. They complained that at times the food which is supplied is handled in a callous manner by helpers in the institutions and that SHGs cannot be blamed for problems faced thereafter. Most of the SHGs present for the meeting Wednesday said that there were no complaints against them.
