BJP MP terms mid-day meal as ‘poisonous meal’, irks Irani

In an embarrassment for Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, the mid-day meal run by her Ministry was termed as “poisonous meal” in the Lok Sabha by Ravindra Kumar Pandey, her own party MP from Jharkhand.

During Question Hour, and in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pandey raised grave concerns over reports of “sub-standard” meals being provided to children. He also drew the government’s attention of reports on “stale” meals being provided by contractors in boxes, without any expiry date, adding that there was a decline in Jharkhand in the number of children being benefited by the scheme.

“ Ye zehrila bhojan ho gaya hai  (It has become poisonous food),” he said, much to the glee of the Opposition benches and even some chuckles in the Treasury benches.

An irked Irani, in her reply, told the MP not to deride the entire scheme, while agreeing that there were deficiencies in some States.

“If the honourable MP has any specific complaint, he should bring it to our notice. We will solve the problem in consultation with the State government. Action will be taken,” she said.

Irani said as per a Supreme Court order, children have to be served hot, cooked meal and no packed food is allowed to be served under the mid-day meal scheme.

She said, in fact, enrolment rates had stabilised or dipped as birth rates are stabilising in several states of the country, adding that mid-day meal schemes had nothing to do with learning outcomes.

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