Goa’s midday meals do not meet nutritional standards: MHRD

Panaji: More than 50% of the samples of middaymeals served to school children in Goa, when tested, did not meet prescribed protein and calorie content.
The Union ministry of human resource development (HRD), in its annual review of the state's midday meal scheme, found that of the 93 random samples tested during the academic session 2015-16, as many as "52 failed to meet the nutritional norms".
The nutrient analysis of samples was done using ‘standardized weighment method' in the laboratory of the Goa Home Science College. The samples were collected for testing by the state directorate of food and drugs.
As per ministry of HRD norms, primary school students should be served a meal of 100 grams each and upper primary school students a meal of 150 grams each. For the primary level, each meal should provide 12 grams of protein and 450 calories of energy and, at the upper primary level, each meal has to provide 20 grams of protein and 700 calories of energy.
The ministry of HRD, in its review, also found that Goa had put to use approximately 30% of the funds allotted to it for monitoring and evaluating the scheme. For 2015-16, the state was allotted Rs 60 lakh funds, but only Rs 17 lakh was used.
This is the second year in a row that the ministry of HRD officials have found Goa's midday meal scheme wanting in implementation.