District collectors to inspect mid-day meals in Rajasthan schools

Jaipur: District collectors across Rajasthan have been asked to step up inspections of mid-day meals served in government schools, with the state government directing them to check at least 20% of schools in their respective districts.

The inspections will be carried out on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and schools that have not been inspected in the past two years will also be included. Collectors have been asked to submit their reports by Wednesday evening.

The exercise is aimed at checking the quality of meals being served to students and ensuring that foodgrains and other raw materials are properly stored. Officials said the inspections will also look into complaints of milk not being supplied properly and instances of children falling ill after consuming mid-day meals.

Schools will be selected randomly from different blocks and district headquarters. Collectors can also involve officials from departments other than education to ensure that the inspections are carried out independently.

The inspection drive will cover all categories of schools, including government schools, Sanskrit schools and madrasas.

Officials said such inspections are conducted twice a year, in February and September, to assess the quality of food served to students, the condition of storage facilities and the availability of foodgrains and other raw materials.

For schools, the exercise means greater scrutiny of kitchens, food storage and meal distribution, while students are expected to benefit from closer monitoring of the meals served to them.

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