The state government has taken a proactive step by releasing the budget for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme before the end of the financial year, starting from January. Notably, the budget of Rs 223 crores has been disbursed on five different dates between February 15 and 28, 2024. The School Education Department of Rajasthan has issued directives to all relevant officials across districts to utilize the allocated funds within the month of March. They are instructed to ensure that the money is deposited into the accounts of beneficiaries by March 31, 2024.

Efforts in Udaipur to Cater to School Children's Nutritional Needs

In Udaipur, where 4,02,161 children in 3,165 schools rely on the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, efforts are underway to provide consistent nutritional support. An allocation of Rs. 8.97 crores has been earmarked for clearing the dues related to the scheme in the district. However, there are pending payments amounting to Rs. 42 lakhs for food materials, indicating some challenges in procurement. To facilitate cooking, Rs. 5.23 crores have been allocated for cooking conversion materials. Furthermore, recognizing the crucial role of cook helpers, an additional allocation of Rs. 3,29,39000 has been made to address their pending dues.

District Education Officer (DEO) Veerendra Singh Yadav has reassured prompt action regarding the allocation of received funds. He has pledged to oversee the allocation process diligently and provide a comprehensive report accordingly. 

Source: Dainik Bhaskar