Mid-day meals may get tastier

Updated on: Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Mid-day meals for over 1.22 crore school children will soon be tastier and healthier than before. If the state government has its way, khichdi will be replaced with rice, dal and chapattis in the scheme which used to be totally funded by the Union government.

“The change in food menu is being contemplated by the school education department. The modalities are being worked out. The department hopes that from the next academic year the new menu will be introduced in the state,” said school education minister Rajendra Darda.

According to the Union government norms, every student in Stds I to VIII of government and government-aided schools should be given free meals. Of the over 1.22 crore students in the state, nearly 80 lakh beneficiaries are in Stds I to V and the rest are in VI to VIII. Darda said the change will ensure that children are given food with adequate calories, proteins and fibres.

Radha Krishna Das, director, Iskcon Food Relief Foundation, appreciated the school department’s plans. “The change in diet will provide more nutrition. Such meals are served in schools in north India," he added.

According to the guidelines, children in Stds I to V should be given 450 gm calories and 12 gm proteins; students from Stds VI to VIII should be given food having 700 gm calories and 22 gm proteins. The annual budget for the mid-day meal scheme is Rs 1,351 crore, which comes from the Government of India. Now, the state will have to contribute 25 per cent of the amount. For effective implementation of the scheme, the minister suggested that every school announce in advance the meals that would be served through the week.

Darda said cases of food poisoning are reported every year. Many students have also complained about the poor quality of the meals. He said special machines would be used for supplying cooked food. "Fewer people will come in contact with the food, which will help maintain better hygiene," he added.

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