Centre releases Rs 1470 lacs to J

Srinagar, July 24 (UNI) An amount of Rs 1470.14 lacs and 18767.93 metri tons of food grains has been disbursed to Jammu and Kashmir by the centre under National Programme of Nutritional, commonly known as Mid-day meal scheme.

A press information bureau spokesman said here today that during the last financial year an amount of Rs 1470.14 lac as Central assistance was disbursed in Jammu and Kashmir under the programme.

Under the scheme, a total of 10, 28,425 children were covered during last financial year. The State was allocated 18757.93 MTs of food grains for the purpose.

He said the Mid-Day Meal Scheme was revised with effect from September 2004. Dry rations were replaced with a cooked nourishing school meals, funded mainly by the centre.

The Central assistance is provided to States free food grains of 100 gms (Rice/Wheat) per child per school day, cooking assistance at the rate of Rs.1/- per child, per school day, reimbursement of transportation cost at the rate of Rs.75/- per quintal and assistance for management, monitoring and evaluation.

He said in the Union Budget for 2006-07, the outlay for Mid-Day Meal Scheme was increased by 60 per cent from Rs 3345 crores for 2005-06 to Rs 5348 crores for current financial year.

With the implementation of the scheme in the country, it has led to elimination of classroom hunger, increase in enrollment, more significantly of girls, surge in daily attendance, particularly of girls and children from poor sections, improvement in retention, learning ability and achievement, curbing of teacher absenteism and narrowing of social distance.

UNI BAS QAB KR HS1757