Food Cooperation of India (FCI) has sought to clarify the reports that was published in local dailies pertaining to supply of worm-infested and uneatable rice under Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) to some schools in Mokokchung district, non-implementation of MDMS in some other schools and an apparent “confusion” between the roles of FCI and state government in implementation of the MDMS.
In a press release, FCI general manager (R) Anenla T Sato asserted that following the reports published in local dailies on March 10, 2016 pertaining to supply of worm-infested rice for MDM, the department of school education through its secretary, assuming worm-infested food grain was directly coming from FCI godown, claimed that FCI had agreed “in principle” to replace the rice although no FCI official had given such assurance.
The release pointed out that government of India allocated rice/wheat @100 grams per primary student (class I to V) and @150 grams per upper primary (class VI to VIII) student per school day in age group of six to fourteen years.
Stating that rice allocations for the first two quarters of 2016-17 (April—Sept 2016) were 2507.07 MT, the release said those allocations were to be lifted from the nearest FCI godown by the respective district administrations as per district-wise allocations made by the state government on monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly basis.
According to the release, the samples (in triplicate) of stocks from where to be lifted were jointly drawn by the representatives of the state government and FCI and the sample slips jointly signed and sealed.
“These samples are to be retained for three months in token of quality of food grains received from FCI,” FCI general manager said, adding that in case of any complaint of low quality of food grains was received within this period, those samples were to be used to ascertain the veracity of the complaint.
The release also stated that Nagaland government had authorised M/S Vitoi Sumi to lift the entire allocations of MDM food grains for Nagaland for the period 2015-16. The allocations for the last three quarters were lifted by the authorised agency during September 2016 (July—Sept/15), December 2015 (Oct—Dec/15) and March 2016 (Jan—Mar/16) after joint sampling and satisfaction of the quality of the food grain, it stated.
Further, stating that quality of food grains in FCI godowns were maintained by quality control staff in conformity with standards set by FSSAI, the release said the joint samples of food grains lifted during those periods were preserved by the quality control staff. At a joint meeting of state government, department of school education, FCI and state government MDM carriage contractor on March 13, 2016 in the directorate of school education, the joint samples were produced and on visual inspection found to be a good quality, the release said.
The authorised MDM lifting agent or carriage contractor of the state government informed at the meeting that they had taken the responsibility and replaced the stock under complaint, it stated.
The release said it was unlikely that the rice lifted from FCI godown in December 2015 would have rotted in February or March 2016 unless stored in unhygienic or unscientific manner.
After lifting food grains from FCI godown, the release said it was the responsibility of the state government for distribution to the schools.
Meanwhile, the FCI has stated that MDMS was covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 and once the state government implements the NFSA, food grain for MDMS would be available @Rs.3 and Rs.2 per kg rice/wheat respectively.
FCI said it makes available sufficient food grains at its godowns at Dimapur, Mokokchung, Tuensang and Mon for public distribution system and other welfare schemes including MDMS in Nagaland.
One could access more information on MDMS and TPDS from websites – www.mdm.nic.in www.dfpd.nic.in www.fcamin.nic.in and www.fci.gov.in