The Bihar government hastransferred an amount of Rs 378.70 crore under the Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme into accounts of 1.29 crore government school students from across the state, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said on Monday.With schools shut due to lockdown, the government decided to deposit the MDM amount into the accounts of the children via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme, as serving cooked food to them at this point in time was not an option, Modi said in an official statement.The total amount was disbursed after taking into account the cost of grains, milk, fruits and eggs along with cooking expenses, including that of fuel, oil and salt and spices, for 34 working days between March 14 and May 3.Under the central government's MDM scheme, 100 gram of grains is given every day to the students of Classes I to V, and 150 gm to those of Classes VI to VIII, Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio, said.The state has spent Rs 151.48 crore from its exchequer to buy foodgrains for the children, the deputy chief minister said, adding that the government would soon write to the Centre for reimbursement.The Union government has doled out Rs 1093.13 crore to Bihar on account of the MDM scheme for the fiscal 2019-20, he added.
