It comes as a big surprise that the government has invited an Expression of Interest (EOI) to rope in agencies other than Self Help Groups for supplying mid-day meals to students. The EOI is clear about engaging Civil Society Organisations or NGOs from across India.
The decision is a big setback to the 98 self-help groups and 8 Parent-Teacher Associations who have been distributing mid-day meals to various schools and have been awaiting payments for their services which is outstanding for the past several months.
The Department of Education has been served an ultimatum for default of payments with the SHGs setting a July 1 deadline to clear the nearly Rs 13 crore outstanding failing which they would stop supplies. The question is, what prompted the government to change suppliers, or rather dump the SHGs? Was payment/deadlines an issue? Or was it the supply and quality/nutrition of food?
The supply of mid-day meals has been a source of livelihood for many SHGs, and an abrupt decision could throw a cloud of uncertainty on the system. Moreover, when the dues are pending since January 2023, it is only unfair to literally serve a discontinuation notice in the form of the issue of tender.
While the education department has swung into action and drawn up a Plan B of providing dry snacks to students and also requesting the State government to release Rs 13 crore to meet the outstanding payment till the Central grant arrives, questions are being raised about why lessons from the past have not been learnt and why there is no seamless system in place so that students are not deprived of their daily meals.
Last year, students were faced with a similar situation where the SHGs were not paid for over five months leading to yet another ultimatum over stopping supplies. The government is walking a very thin line because if the supplies are stopped then it will result in an infringement on children's right to food.
The government has to be sensitive to this issue. On one hand, it would be shameful to face a situation where food supplies were discontinued because the government could not pay. Secondly, even if the department makes a provision of supplying dry snacks, it would defeat the purpose of nutrition for which the meals were supplied.
This issue is also sensitive from the side of the SHGs who have ensured uninterrupted supplies despite the financial crunch. The government needs to factor in the conditions and the inflation that these groups are faced with. For example, a sudden decision to call off classes on Saturday due to heatwave conditions meant that many SHGs who had begun preparations for the following morning delivery had to discard soaked items and perishable food and bear losses.
While the government reserves the right to decide on appointing a new agency, the SHGs that have been doing yeoman's service all along and consistently delivering food despite all odds cannot be left out for no justifiable reason.
