Soyabean to save midday meal

Use cereal to increase nutrition, calorific value, SDMC tells govt

In order to increase the nutrition and calorific value of food being served under the midday meal scheme, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has requested Delhi government to introduce Soyabean in the menu.

The demand comes in wake of food samples from municipal schools failing nutrition test – both on count of protein and calorific value - over the last few years. Subhash Arya, leader of House in South Corporation, has written to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit to add nutrients to midday meal in a bid to meet the revised parameters of nutrition.

Arya said food samples have failed to meet the nutritional parameters because while parameters of nutrition and calorie were increased, the quantity of grains being served to each students continues to remain same.

“Earlier, each student was served 100 grams of rice or wheat. Then the parameters were fixed at 8-12 gram of protein and 350 gram of calorie in each meal. Now each meal must contain a minimum of 12 gram protein and 450 gram calorie,” the letter of Arya to CM reads.

The BJP leader has requested the CM to either add Soyabean in the meal, or reduce the nutritional parameters.

“If the new criteria have to be met, 50 gram soyabean must be added to each meal,” said Arya.

According to corporation officials, over 90 per cent of food samples have failed to meet the nutrition test over last few years.

As per the data released by North Delhi Municipal Corporation, only seven of the 80 samples taken for test from the North Corporation schools cleared the parameters. The samples were lifted for test between April 23, 2012 and October 31, 2012.

During the same period, only three of the 46 samples lifted from schools in South Delhi Municipal met the nutritional value. In East Delhi Municipal Corporation, only two of the 36 samples cleared the nutrition and calorie test.

EDMC gears up 

Meanwhile, the East Corporation has fixed up the responsibility of the senior officials and the supervisory staff to ensure better and effective monitoring of midday meal in EDMC schools. As per the directions issued by deputy commissioner (headquarters), the education director would have to inspect atleast five schools every month.

Strict inspection

“Each school inspector shall visit 20 per cent of the schools allotted to him fortnightly and inspect distribution of midday meal. Apart from that, the schools inspector shall pick up samples wherever required and send it for testing from the authorised institute for content analysis,” said a senior EDMC official.

Similarly, the sanitary inspector shall visit the kitchen of service provider every fortnight and shall submit a report to health officer. “All the officials have been directed to submit their report from March 25,” an official said.