J-K utilizes only 3% of funds allotted by Centre for Mid-Day Meal scheme

SRINAGAR — Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir during 2021-22 have utilized ‘only three percent’ of the funds allocated by the Central government on account of the erstwhile Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme.

The official documents available with the news agency KNO reveal, “UT has reported utilization of 3 percent of the allocated funds during the year 2021-22.”

The Project Approval Board (PAB) in a recent meeting with Jammu and Kashmir authorities has emphasized the importance of monitoring and awareness generation for better implementation of the scheme. It also advised the UT to ensure full and effective utilization of the funds under MDM.

The official documents also read that “UT was also advised to ensure prominent display of entitlements of children in all schools and carry out appropriate IEC activities for awareness generation through publicity.”

It also states that the data entered on the PM POSHAN-MIS Web portal captures information on critical indicators of PM-POSHAN. “The Annual data entry module captures master data on the availability of Kitchen-cum-Stores, Kitchen Devices, number of Cook-cum-Helpers engaged, mode of cooking etc,” reads the document.

J&K authorities have said that the monthly data entry module captures data on the number of days meal was served; the number of meals served, honorarium paid to Cook-cum-Helpers engaged, and number of children who received IFA tablets, number of children screened under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) etc.

“The UT has completed annual data entry for 87 percent of schools and monthly data entry for 70 percent of schools in the MIS portal,” it reads.