Observations of the Monitoring Institution Madhya Pradesh
Based on 2nd Half Yearly MDM Monitoring Report - 2009-10
Period of Report
1st February - 31st July, 2010
Professor Sandeep Joshi
Director
Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Science Research, Ujjain
and
Nodal Officer
SSA-MDM Monitoring, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Science Research, Ujjain
Districts Monitored and Dates
of Visits to the Districts
S.No
1
2
3
4
5
District
Jabalpur
Indore
Dewas
Katni
Dhar
Date of visit
125
89
106
86
170
Trends –

extent of variation
Variations in the attendance of students in previous day as
compared to attendance on day of visit was significantly
visible in all districts.
Dhar
No.
Details
Jabalpur
Day
previous
To date
of visit
On the
Day of
Visit
Day
previous
To date
of visit
On the
Day of
visit
1.
Enrollment
18937
(100%)
18937
(100%)
16861
(100%)
16861
(100%)
2.
No. of children
attending the school
14511
(76.6%)
12545
(66.2%)
10965
(65.0%)
11012
(65.3%)
3.
No. of children availing
MDM as per MDM Register
14511
(76.6%)
13079
(69.0%)
10965
(65.0%)
11032
(65.4%)
4.
No. of children actually
availing MDM on the
day of visit
14511
(76.6%)
12545
(66.2%)
10965
(65.0%)
11012
(65.3%)
Regularity in Delivering
Foodgrains to School Level
 In maximum schools of all districts food grains
under MDM scheme was found to be delivered
regularly.
 Similarly the buffer stock for the period of one
month was being maintained in majority of
schools visited by MI.
Social Equity
 No discrimination on the basis of gender, caste
or community was observed in cooking,
serving or seating arrangements in the
sampled districts.
Variety of Menu
 Weekly menu was displayed in majority of the
schools in all the sampled districts.
 As far as serving of different variety of food is
concerned very few schools could adhered to
it.
 In Katni 44 percent schools provided different
varieties of meals to students.
Quality & Quantity of Meal
 The quality of meals was reported unsatisfactory by
many schools, as children were not satisfied with
the quality of meals prepared. In 38 per cent
schools of Katni district the students were not at all
satisfied with the quality of food.
 As far as quantity of meals is concerned majority of
students were satisfied with it. In 92 percent
sampled schools of Dhar district the students were
satisfied with the quantity of food.
Supplementary
 In Jabalpur it was found that only in 26 per cent
primary and in 34 per cent middle schools micronutrients and de-worming medicine were given to
the children periodically, whereas in 90 per cent
primary and in 88 per cent middle schools of Indore
districts micro-nutrients and de-worming medicine
were given to the children.
 Only in 4 percent primary and 14 percent middle
schools health cards of students were made and
maintained in Indore district. Situation was not
satisfactory in other districts as well.
Status of Cooks
 In majority of sampled schools (95-100 per cent)
the MDM was being made available by the Self Help
Groups especially in rural areas. In schools located
in urban areas NGOs were engaged in cooking
activities.
 It has been observed that in most of the schools
the Cook was from underprivileged category. The
percentage of such cooks was lowest in Jabalpur
district (84 per cent) whereas the highest
percentage was in Katni District (100 per cent)
among the sampled districts.
Infrastructure
 In 27 per cent schools kitchens had been constructed but
they were not in use (Dhar). Similarly in 41 per cent
schools kitchens were constructed but not in use (Indore).
 In such schools SHGs use their own place for cooking
MDM.
 In 100 percent schools food grain was stored at safe places
by SHGs.
 It was found that in 71 per cent primary schools and in 76
per cent middle schools the potable water for cooking and
drinking was available (Indore).
 In majority of schools in the sampled districts the firewood
was being used as a fuel for cooking MDM. The highest
percentage of such schools (99 per cent primary, 100 per
cent upper primary) were in Indore District.
Safety & Hygiene
 In 80-90 percent schools in all the sampled
districts the cooking places were safe and not
posing any fire hazard.
 In 97 per cent primary school children and in
91 per cent middle schools children are
encouraged to wash their hands before and
after taking meals (Dewas).
 In 69 per cent schools in Jabalpur district
children were observed to be conserving water
while washing the dish.
Community Participation
 The participation of members of PTAs in
monitoring and supervision of MDM was
negligible in all the districts.
Inspection & Supervision
 The inspection of MDM scheme at school level
was reported to be done regularly in 76
percent of the total sampled schools in
Jabalpur district.
 In majority of schools it was found that BRCs,
CRCs, PTA and CACs inspected the MDM at
some point of time with irregular intervals.
Impact
 There is complete disconnect between SSA and MDM
authorities at district and lower levels due to which lot of
gaps and implementational problems exist.
 In more than 90 per cent schools teachers believed that
due to MDM the daily attendance of children and overall
enrolment of the school has increased.
 In about 24 per cent schools teachers were of the opinion
that MDM contributed in the
improvement of
the
nutritional status of children (Jabalpur). This percentage
of schools was highest in Indore where 55 per cent
schools teachers were of the opinion that MDM has raised
the nutritional status of children.
 MDM has played a significant role in bringing social equity
among the children, particularly in urban areas.
Thanks …