Aurangabad: The state education department (primary) has decided to deposit money for the implementation of midday meal scheme directly into the account of school management committees (SMC).This, officials feel, would do away with the repeated inordinate delays associated with the release of funds towards implementation of the centrally-sponsored scheme. Earlier, the fund flow used to take place through the respective zilla parishad and panchayat samitis.The SMC is a panel comprising members of parents, community and school authorities among others. As per norms, these panels are vested with several powers influencing functioning of school.In an official communication to zilla parishads across the state on Thursday, the state director of education (primary) Sunil Chauhan has communicated the government resolve to distribute the funds to SMCs directly through public financial management system (PFMS) portal.“The policy decision will be implemented with effect from April this year. The grant towards fuel, vegetables and foodgrain will be deposited into account of the SMC,” he stated, asking beneficiary schools across Maharashtra to complete necessary formalities.For many months, the non payment of midday meal dues was proving to be a headache for several zilla parishad schools, including those from Aurangabad district. Over 2,200 institutions in Aurangabad had to repeatedly wait for up to six months to get the reimbursements.Different stakeholders have welcomed the move to curtail the link related to release of MDM dues. Rajesh Hiwale, spokesperson of state-level association of primary teachers associated with zilla parishad schools, said schools used to find themselves in a fix due to inordinate delay in release of the dues.“The delay used to put schools in financial trouble. The self-help groups and school authorities had to pay for the expenses from their pockets. They would be in great financial stress as money would not be reimbursed for almost six months,” he said.A school principal, preferring anonymity, said the midday meal scheme has helped the government put a check on drop-out rate of students. The reform introduced now should have been part of the system long ago, he said.As far as Aurangabad zilla parishad is concerned, it used to release midday meal dues every three months, which was also considered as test of holding capacity of schools.Under the midday meal scheme, freshly cooked khichdi or other rice-based dishes are served to students enrolled in classes I-VIII from government, government-aided schools, special training centres among other institutions supported under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).As per record, the state has over 87,077 schools where the central scheme is being implemented. Nearly 65 lakh school children from primary section and another 39 lakh from upper primary section covered under the midday meal programme.

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