Video showing children being served mid-day meal on scrap paper in Madhya Pradesh school sparks outrage

A government school principal was suspended and the contract of a self-help group was cancelled in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district after a viral video showed children being served the mid-day meal food on scrap paper pieces while some were seen eating off the leaf bowls on the floor. 

According to officials, the incident took place at a government primary, which is run out of a secondary school campus, in Hullpur village under Vijaypur block. 

Sheopur Collector Arpit Verma told The Hindu that the matter came to light on November 6, and the school in-charge principal Bhogaram Dhakad has been suspended and the contract of the self-help group revoked. 

In the video, small school children are seen lined up and sitting on the floor outside the school building with food, including aloo [potato] gravy, being served to them on small newspaper pieces as a woman server is seen making rounds with a bucket. The video was made by a local man, who is heard saying that the food was being served without no supervision from the principal or a teacher. 

The video sparked massive outrage on the internet with people questioning the quality of food served to under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM Poshan) scheme to provide them with necessary nutrition.

Mr. Verma said that instruction have also been issued to ensure more strict scrutiny of agencies, contracted to serve food at schools in the district.

“We have issued notices to local [block level education] officials to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report. Further action will be taken based on that. The Jila Panchayat CEO has also been instructed to keep strict scrutiny on all the self-help group to ensure that mid-day meal is served properly and as per the menu,” Mr. Verma said. 

Vijaypur sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Abhishek Mishra said that the preliminary inquiry has revealed that the cooking staff had not cleaned the utensils and served the food on papers. 

“The principal was out of the school while one teacher is currently busy with the SIR [Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision]. There was one guest teacher present at the time whose negligence has been found,” Mr. Mishra said, adding that the food arrangements at the school have been entrusted to the secondary school principal until a new self-help group is appointed.

Mr. Verma said, “If any such complaint is received in future, strict action will also be taken against the concerned officials along with the self-help group.”