Imphal, October 01: Despite Supreme Court ruling for provision of cooked food to primary and upper-primary school students, implementation of the mid-day meal project under the Sarva Siksa Abhiyan scheme in the State is facing an extra-ordinary problem as report cited shortages of plate to feed the children.

According to an informed source, out of 2,99,096 school-going children listed to benefit from the ambitious project only 14,825 plates had been provided to identified schools.

This is stark contrast to the purchase of cooking utensils and other requirements in implementing the project made by the Education (Schools) department during the 2004-05 period in consonance with the decree of the apex court.

The source revealed of SSA State Mission Authority's Project Director Dr Th Jayenta on November 4, 2004 issuing an order for sanction of Rs 2000 each to 2965 educational institutions identified to execute the mid-day meal scheme in which providing cooked food is a necessity.

The funds are to be released through the respective Zonal Education Officers to procure materials including plates, buckets, cooking utensils etc, said the source and added that the November 4 order was issued in compliance with firm instructions from the Department of Elementary Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Out of 1965 schools where cooked food under the mid-day meal scheme is being provided to the students Bishnupur district schools account for 239, Imphal East-396, Imphal West - 380, Thoubal - 343, Senapati - 477, Tamenglong - 241, Churachandpur - 378, Ukhrul - 287 and Chandel 224, detailed the source.

Contrary to the number of schools listed for implementation of the scheme and already extended Rs 2000 each assistance under the SSA school grant to purchase cooking/eating utensil vast disparities exists when break-up of the allocation is compared to the number of schools, explained the source.

On equal distribution of the yearly allocation (Rs 2000) Bishnupur district could fully implement the project in only 230 schools, Chandel-223, Churachandpur 348, Imphal East - 389, Imphal West - 326, Senapati - 460, Tamenglong - 244, Thoubal - 343 and Ukhrul - 340.Ironically, inspite of the Supreme Court ruling for sufficient provision of requisite materials currently each of the school has to do with only two cooking utensils (korphu), five plate, two glass (mug), one bucket and a spoon (large).

With the State Government having pumped Rs 59,06,000 so far to implement the project inspection report of plate shortages by about 14,825 is likely to toss up another fund misuse episode which had become a bane for the Education Department, contemplated the source.

Significantly, despite the report on material shortages faced by the schools ZEO concerned had furnished utilisation report to the SSA State Mission Director wherein details regarding children availing the scheme benefit were placed as : Imphal West-31,465; Imphal East-39,264; Thoubal-43,861; Bishnupur-27,845; Ukhrul-22,028; Senapati-60,742; Tamenglong-28,146; Churachandpur-25,162; and Chandel-16,583.The source also mentioned of clear instructions from the Ministry of Human Resource Development to ensure direct involvement of either village education committees or school management committees in purchase of cooking and eating utensils.

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