13-member central team starts review of midday meal scheme in West Bengal

A 13-member central team on Monday started review of the midday meal scheme in schools in West Bengal, a senior official said.

The joint review mission consisting of Union Education ministry officials, one nutritionist, one representative of the Unicef along with director of PM Poshan Scheme, V Bhaskar held a high-level meeting with state Education department officials, he said.

The officials, who are scheduled to conduct their review till February 6, will visit schools in districts starting with North 24 Parganas on Monday.

The team, which reached the city on Sunday evening, will check school infrastructure and food quality, served to school children under the mid-day meal scheme.

"This is a routine visit. We carry out such reviews in the states every year. We will try to visit as many districts as possible. Today we met the officials of the School Education department. Today is a testing day," an official of the team said after the meeting.

She said that they are likely to speak to school children and their parents.

The Centre has recently allocated a fund of Rs 372 crore under the PM Poshan scheme to the state in order to provide nutrition to school students.

It has also released an additional fund of Rs 250 crore to the school education department for infrastructural development.