A performance audit of the mid-day meal scheme by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that only 1,154 children were covered under the scheme during 2013-24, out of 18,000 studying in city’s education guarantee scheme (EGC), and alternative and innovative education (AIE) centres. It has also found that the enrolment, attendance and retention of children in schools could not be sustained, and that served meals failed test for nutritive value. The CAG report, tabled on the last day of the Delhi Assembly Budget Session on Tuesday, observed that there were deficiencies in coverage of EGC/AIE centres and madrasas as programme approval board had directed the Delhi government to cover all 18,000 children studying at these centres supported under Sarva Shisksha Abhiyan during 2013-14. “However, only 1,154 children of three AIE centres and five deaf and dumb schools were covered under the scheme,” the CAG said, adding that this was also mentioned in the previous report, but no “substantial” improvement was noticed. It noted that the government had stated that only 2,047 children studying in 19 centres run by NGOs/madrasas and they will be covered under the scheme from April 2015. “The reply indicates flawed planning of the directorate for identifying and covering all children of EGS and AIE centres,” the report pointed out, adding: “The reply was silent regarding coverage of children under SSA.” The report observed that the percentage of children who availed the benefits of the mid-day meal scheme declined from 70 per cent in 2009-10 to about 65 per cent in 2013-14. “Further, the audit noticed that the directorate neither fixed any target for increasing the enrolment of children in schools nor initiated concrete steps to create awareness for increasing the enrolment.” A total of 5,749 children dropped out in primary schools, while 1,235 children dropped out from selected upper primary schools during 2009-14. The yearly dropouts ranged from 1,306 to 1,007 in selected schools and 97 to 362 in upper primary. The CAG observed that the mid-day meals were not served on the prescribed number of days in both primary and upper primary schools. Out of 2,012 samples of cooked meals, a total of 1,876 (89 per cent) failed tests for nutritive value during 2010-14.