The Union Food Ministry has directed the Food Corporation of India, FCI, to immediately release grains for the Mid-Day Meal scheme without advance payment from the HRD Ministry. This has been done so that nearly 12 crore school children across the country do not face any problem in having mid-day meals. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution today directed the FCI to release foodgrains for the second quarter of the year without advance payment, a condition earlier put by FCI. Our correspondent reports that the FCI had said it will not release foodgrains without pre-payment by the HRD Ministry. This had led to the spectre of the flagship scheme being affected across the country from June one as the foodgrains for the second quarter is lifted from this date. The HRD ministry has already said there is no scope for advance payment under the Mid-day meal scheme, which has been running since 1995. Children of nearly 1.29 million government and aided elementary schools are having meals everyday under the flagship scheme.