Procure seasonal fruits for mid-day meals, schools told

Neha Saini

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Amritsar, July 9

After the Education Department decided to re-introduce seasonal fruit in mid-day meals at government schools, a notification has been issued to schools across the district to procure fruits and introduce it in the meals once a week in accordance with the strength of students. The letter issued by the Education Department stated that in accordance with the introduction of seasonal fruits in mid-day meal programme that was implemented earlier this year, seasonal fruit should be given to students on every Saturday. The schools have also been instructed to procure seasonal fruits as per local agriculture preferences and produce.

Saurabh Sharma, the in-charge of mid-day meal programme in Amritsar, said the plan to serve nutri-millets/millets in mid-day meals is also on cards as a draft recommendation has already been sent to the Education Department. “Millets are high in nutrition value and have already been adopted as part of mid-day meal menu under PM Poshan Yojna in many states. We are also planning to introduce it in mid-day plan in our schools.”

Saurabh also shared that the school heads have been told to implement the instructions from this week onwards. “The schools have been asked to procure and serve the seasonal fruits available in the meals this week onwards. As per rule, Rs 5 per child is assigned to each school for serving seasonal fruits in the mid-day meals. Currently, banana is served to students as it is easily available and in budget meanwhile, other fruits are sometimes available at higher price.” He also said schools have asked to ensure that fruits are served as soon as they are purchased to avoid any waste or spoilage.

Launched in February this year, the scheme intended to provide nutritious diet with introduction of fruits, desserts, including kheer, and more elaborate meal plan served in mid-day meals in all government schools. But due to several reasons, the plan soon was suspended.