Mumbai: Coming down heavily on Maharashtra
government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for
failing to properly implement the mid-day meal scheme, the
Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the government to formulate an
action plan for carrying it out effectively.
"The scheme is very good on paper but not implemented
effectively. It is supposed to feed around five lakh students
in Mumbai and over nine lakhs in the rest of the state," a
division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice GS
Godbole said.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed
by one Vikas Dandwate in 2009 seeking effective implementation
of the scheme.
Chief Justice enquired whether there was any monitoring
committee or body to supervise the implementation of the
scheme.
Geeta Joglekar, advocate for BMC, said the contract for
providing food was given to Mahila Mandals which have expired.
Anil Sakhre, counsel for the petitioner, showed the court
a government resolution passed on May 24, 2011 staying the
implementation of the scheme following which the court
directed the BMC to file an affidavit stating why a stay was
given on the implementation.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, August 04, 2011, 20:39