Bhagalpur: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Union HRD Ministry and the Bihar government over reported plight faced by poor children due to non-supply of mid-day meal in Bhagalpur in the wake of the extended closure of schools during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, officials said on Monday.
The NHRC, in a statement, observed that "apparently amid lockdown across the country, the schools are not functional and the mid-day meal has been stopped due to which poor children are forced to indulge in small jobs which not only spoil their health but also push them towards petty crimes and other anti-social activities".
The children in this condition will be prone to drug addiction and trafficking by the criminal elements of the society, involved in illicit activities, it said.
The notices were sent to the Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, and the Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, seeking detailed reports within four weeks.
Former Union Health Secretary, Shri Keshav Desiraju stated that the government is looking for ways as to how food can be sent to children's home.
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The mid-day meal scheme of the government is aimed to provide food to the young school going children ensuring protection of their right to food and education. The Article 21-A of the Constitution of India has also ensured education as a fundamental right and the Right of children to Free and compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been enacted by the Parliament.
The facility of mid-day meal in the schools has definitely attracted the young children and their parents towards schools to continue their studies. The scheme has also helped children from poor background to get education and save themselves from malnutrition.
According to the media report, for the students of Class I-V, for a period of 15 days, the amount is calculated Rs. 114.21 per children and Rs. 171.17 for the students studying in the Class VI-VIII. According to locals, the government officials had given every ration card holder, 5 kg of rice or wheat, and 1 kg of dal under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY).
But for the last few months, nobody has come and they are forced to ask people in the village for food in the absence of mid-day meal. The school children are reportedly now going to collect plastic scrap, waste or beg to earn Rs. 10-20 for them. The cost of food for a child has been calculated between Rs. 7.61 to 11.41 per day. The residents stated that they are not getting any money from the authorities.
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The principal of Shanti Devi Kanya Vidhyalaya in Sultanganj said that until lockdown-2, some money had come which was transferred to bank accounts for the month of April but after lockdown-2 ended on May 03, 2020, nothing has happened at all. A principal heading a school with 265 students reportedly stated that the amounts declared by the authorities are a joke.
The school teachers have also disclosed that even these meager amounts will not reach the children because the money which is often sent to the bank account for school uniform etc. is also taken and spent by the parents for their use and the children attend the school without uniform.(With PTI inputs)
