Dec 19 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Stop caste discrimination in midday meal: Panel
Akshaya Mukul
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New Delhi
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For the second time in two weeks, the parliamentary committee on the welfare of SCsSTs has come down heavily on the HRD ministry for its failure to curb discrimination against dalit children in the midday meal scheme in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.On Wednesday , the parliamentary panel headed by BJP's Faggan Singh Kulaste asked HRD to send its own team to MP and Karnataka and furnish a report by January 10 next year. During the meeting, a senior ministry official told the panel that HRD regularly sends out advisories to states that there should be no caste discrimination in the distribution of midday meal.
Panel members said since advisories have evidently not worked, ministry needs to take a more proactive stand. “We know how state governments treat advisories. HRD ministry should send its own team for investigation and bring this to everyone's notice,“ a panel member said.
In Madhya Pradesh, reports of discrimination has been reported from 12 districts. In Sehore district there was a report that plates of dalit children were marked so that food is not served to upper caste children in those plates. In case of Karnataka, state government admitted that in schools of Mysore district some students were bringing lunch box from their houses. State government said religious leaders were also involved to solve the problem of discrimination.
Panel members said since advisories have evidently not worked, ministry needs to take a more proactive stand. “We know how state governments treat advisories. HRD ministry should send its own team for investigation and bring this to everyone's notice,“ a panel member said.
In Madhya Pradesh, reports of discrimination has been reported from 12 districts. In Sehore district there was a report that plates of dalit children were marked so that food is not served to upper caste children in those plates. In case of Karnataka, state government admitted that in schools of Mysore district some students were bringing lunch box from their houses. State government said religious leaders were also involved to solve the problem of discrimination.
