Indian Institute of Education, Pune. U.T. of Dadra & Nagar Haveli Mid-Day-Meal  The M.I visited 39 schools and 1 KGBV in 1 st half of  Date of visit to the district- 10 th March to 21 st March 2011

Regularity in Serving Meal  All schools were serving hot cooked meal daily except for the interruption period noticed in 9 schools. __________________________________________________ Trends The M.I. found that all children enrolled in the schools have been opted for Mid-Day- Meal and there was no variation between the number of children availing the MDM as per MDM registers and the number of children actually availing MDM on the day of visit.

Regularity in delivering food grains  In 9 schools (23.07%) food grains were received irregularly. There are 3 schools that have the extent of delay ranging from days, 3 schools have days, and 2 schools have days and 1 school has 49 days delay.  Buffer stock of month was found in 27 schools (69.23%).  The quantity of food grains being supplied was as per indicated weight in all schools.  Food grains (only rice) were delivered at the door in 37 schools (94.87%). 2 schools in Amboli- Patelad have no road for transport.  The quality of food grains was found to be good in all schools.

Regularity in delivering cooking cost U.T. of D &N H is supplying 2 LPG cylinder to each school. Edible oil, split pulses and condiments are also supplied to all schools.  The school has to purchase only vegetables.  Vegetable bills were received with the gap of 2/3 months.  It was found that the cooking cost of June- July 2010 was paid in September 2010 and of August- September was paid in December  Though the bills were submitted in time due to administrative procedure it was delayed.

Social Equity  No discrimination of any kind was observed in any of the schools (visited)  Most of the children, cooks and helpers were from S.T. community. This could be the reason that we did not observe any discrimination.  In all schools the children either sit or stood in queue to take meal and then children used to sit in a row in school verandha.  Then they recited a prayer and took the meal.

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Variety of Menu  In all schools (100%) a weekly menu was displayed at a place noticeable to community.  In some schools, we observed that the information about quantity of food grains per child was also displayed.  U.T. has given prescribed menu to all schools  Variety in the food preparation as given in the prescribed menu was found in all schools.  The daily menu had included Rice, Dal, Bhaaji (Monday), Khichadi-Bhaaji (Tuesday), Rice, Dal, Bhaaji (Wednesday), Khichadi and Bhaaji (Thursday), Rice, Dal, Bhaaji (Friday) and Khichadi and Bhaaji (Saturday).  Seasonal green vegetables were also used in Mid-Day-Meal.

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Quality & Quantity of Meal  In all schools (100%) quality of Meal was found to be good.  In all schools (100%) quantity of Meal was found to be more than enough for all children.  All children were happy.  It was noticed that U.T. had stopped the good practice of giving banana as supplementary food thrice in a week which they followed earlier.

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Supplementary  All schools had maintained a Health Card for each child.  The Medical and Public Health Department of District Panchayats Shri Vinoba Bhave Civil Hospital, Silvassa had given Health identity card for each child, and the Department had fully computerized the data of each child.  Health identity card for each child was an unique thing that can be adopted everywhere.  The annual health check up was found to be conducted in all schools.  Micronutrients and deworming medicine were given to the needy children.

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Status of Cooks  It is an unique example that U.T. had appointed 1 cook, 1 helper and 1 waterman on daily wages in each school for MDM and most of them (94.44%) were S.T. females.  The norms laid down by the Govt of India were yet not being implemented by U.T.  But in all schools at present 3 persons were engaged for this purpose. All schools (100%) reported that they had adequate cooks and helper to meet their requirement.  The payment given to the cooks and helpers was found to be delayed by days in every month.

Infrastructure  Out of 39 schools, a separate pucca kitchen shed was constructed and in use in 5 schools (12.82%) and these were constructed by the D.P.  Large no. of schools lacked storage place for food items.  We had observed that food grains were stored in classroom in 24 schools (61.54%), Headmaster’s office in 3 schools, vacant teacher’s quarter in 3 schools.  At present in 7 schools (17.95%) the food was cooked in school verandah, unutilized spare classroom in 19 schools (48.72%), vacant teachers quarters in 7 schools (17.95%), under stairway in 3 schools

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Fuel  Every school in U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli had been given two LPG cylinder with connection and we think it is praiseworthy.  All schools had potable water for cooking and drinking.  All schools had adequate utensils for cooking.  U.T. has provided plates to all children which is an exmplery.

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Safety & Hygiene  In most of the schools general impression about the environment and hygiene was good.  Safety measures needs to be taken care of in most of the schools.  In all schools the children were encouraged to wash their hands before and after eating. The children were taking meals in desciplined manner.

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Community participation and awareness  In 22 schools ( 56.41%) the VEC/PTA/MTA was supervised and monitored the MDM.  Roster was being maintained by the community members in 26 schools (66.67%).  The overall participation or contribution made by Parents VECs to improve the quality of the meal was found poor in all schools.  Very few parents/ community members found to be aware about the quantity of MDM per child at primary and upper primary level.  They were also not fully aware about the entitlement of quantity and type of nutrients in MDM per child.  The source of awareness of parents and community members regarding MDM was mostly children, teachers and news papers.

Inspection & Supervision  The Mid-day Meal programme was inspected regularly either by the teachers or headmasters.  In all schools MDM was inspected by the cluster level officials.  In 12 schools it was inspected by the A.E.O.  District level officials also inspected the MDM programme in 17 schools

Impact  The Mid-Day-Meal programme has helped to improve the attendance.  The MI during its interaction with children, teachers and parents found that there is improvement in health of children.  But at the school no bench mark record of weight, height of each child was noticed.

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