Nizamabad: Midday meal sans nutrition

Nizamabad: With the prices of essentials and ingredients have been rising continuously, the quality of the midday meals served has also suffered, negating the very idea of giving nutritious diet to students at school.

As the prices of essential commodities in the market skyrocketed, noone came forward to cook Midday meals for the students.

The government provides free rice for school meals. But according to the menu the money given by the government to the agencies to cook the day curries is not enough. There are 1,234 government schools in Nizamabad district. The State government on April 1, 2020 increased the slab rate for the Midday Meal scheme. The government pays Rs 4. 97 a day to provide a mid-day meal to a primary school student. Midday meal agencies have to give the student three eggs a week from this money. The government pays Rs7. 45 to provide curries and eggs at midday meals for upper primary school students.

The government pays only Rs 9. 45 per high school student to cook and serve curries at Midday Meals and to give three eggs a week.

Most of the schools in the district do not have kitchens and in many places the food is cooked under the trees and supplied to the students.

The number of students in government schools has also increased due to the Covid epidemic. This has created a situation in Nizamabad district where students have to participate in the meal service as there are not enough waiters to cater to the number of students.

Some schools have kitchens but their capacity is not adequate to accommodate the number of students and they are operating there amidst many inconveniences.

The kitchen at Bodhan Government High School is cramped and cooked food has to be served under the trees. Cooking agencies are concerned that the leaves, bird droppings and dust from vehicles passing by school may contaminate the food.

Currently lunch is also eaten by students under the shade of trees outside. As part of the "Mana Ooru Manabadi" scheme, dining halls need to be constructed in every school in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.

Even in Kamareddy district, the Midday Meal scheme is not functioning properly.

Bananas were served at several schools in these two districts instead of the egg that was supposed to be served according to the Monday menu. According to Tuesday's menu, leafy vegetables should be served to the student but they were missing on today(Tuesay) and also 30 grams of lentils were not served. Cooking oil should be used in cooking at the rate of 75 grams per student. The rise in oil prices has hampered the implementation of the menu table.

The government has released Rs 1,56,22,933 to supply midday meals to students in 1,200 schools in Nizamabad district, 2021-22 academic year according to a report submitted by the Education department at the Zilla Parishad General Body meeting on 2021 December 16. Rs 5,33,13,700 was released till December 16, 2021 during this academic year, out of which Rs 3.77 crore was utilised for payment of old arrears of midday meal workers.