Kerala 2005 - of Planning Commission

CHAPTER 3
ASSESSING DEVELOPMENT: THE INCOME DIMENSION
51
than the currently well-known scheme was introduced in
the State of Tamil Nadu in 1982) and spread throughout
the State with the commodity assistance from CARE
(Co-operative for American Relief Everywhere), a consortium
of US voluntary agencies. From 1964-65 to 1970-71, the
scheme covered 72-73 per cent of the lower primary school
children (CDS-UN, 1975). Consequent on the withdrawal
of CARE’s commodity assistance in the mid-seventies,
repeated requests were given by the State Government for
inclusion of the scheme under the State Plan, but they were
not accepted. A feeding programme with Kanji (rice gruel)
and pulses 14 was introduced in December 1984 (under the
Department of Education), after the successful experience
of Tamil Nadu, covering primary schools in areas in which
children of fishermen / Scheduled Tribes formed the majority
of students. The scheme was first extended to all Government
and aided lower primary schools in the State from December
1985 and later to cover children in the upper primary classes
Table 3.8: Public Distribution System
Year
Household Ration
Cards (lakh)
Ration Permits to
Institutions (Nos.)
Rice
(‘000 M.Ts)
Wheat
(‘000 M.Ts)
Distribution of
Sugar
(‘000 M.Ts)
Kerosene
(‘000 KL)
1975 36.16 7,634 531 490 97 107
1985 43.73 7,922 1,412 110 142 235
1995 56.54 13,173 1,130 423 150 360
2000 62.62 17,528 6,566 643 152 362
2001 63.44 17,127 4,608 789 72.7 359
2002 63.83 16,769 4,234 1,397 45.47 315
2003 62.68 16,183 5,076 1,495 34.27 292
2004 64.59 15,900 4,380 1,752 36.88* 208*
Note: * = Up to September 2004.
Source: Various issues of Economic Review, State Planning Board, Kerala.
Table 3.9: Students Taking Mid-day Meals (in lakhs)
Year
No. of Students in
Primary Level
No. of Students in
Upper Primary Level
Total Eligible
Students
Students Enrolled in
the Scheme
Coverage
(5) as % of (4)
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
1979-80 25.76 - 18.12 70
1984-85 25.01 - 14.81 59
1987-88 25.86 17.90 43.76* 32.00 73
1990-91 25.27 19.00 44.27 20.57 46
1991-92 24.72 19.30 44.02 24.07 55
1995-96 22.51 18.39 40.90 20.85 51
1996-97 21.98 18.13 40.11 24.01 59
1997-98 21.40 17.90 39.30 27.94 71
1998-99 20.78 17.61 38.39 28.08 73
1999-00 20.11 17.26 37.37 28.26 76
2000-01 19.32 17.05 36.37 27.02 74
2001-02 19.33 16.79 36.12 23.40 65
2002-03 18.80 16.14 34.94 23.40 67
2003-04 18.28 15.02 33.30 21.67 65
Note: * = Year in which the scheme was extended to students up to Class VII.
Source: Various issues of Economic Review, State Planning Board, Kerala.
14 The scheme at present provides 60 grams of rice and 30 grams of pulse items per pupil in the primary section (Standard I to VII)
for 180 school days a year – this roughly corresponds to children in the age group of 6 to 12 years.