Rs 21,867.59 lakh allocated for Mid-Day Meal Scheme in NE

Agartala, Aug 17 (UNI) The Centre has allocated Rs 21,867.59 lakh to the Northeastern states for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme(MDMS), including Rs 505.23 lakh for monitoring, management and evaluation of the project.

Official sources here today said the Centre extended the MDMS to the upper primary stage in educationally backward blocks and earmarked Rs 21,362.39 lakh for NE states, including Sikkim. Out of the total amount, Rs 1764.75 lakh was allocated for Tripura, sources added.

The MDMS guidelines, 2006, stipulated provision of mid-day meals for children studying in classes I-V in schools run by the government, local bodies and government-aided schools.

The National Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee for the MDMS had recommended increase in budget for the upper primary stage, official sources added.

UNI