Bitten by rising prices, midday meal in-charges seek more funds

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, September 25

The implementation of a revised menu issued by the Education Department for midday meal at government schools, has become a challenging task for the in-charges, who have been seeking more funds.

Last month, the menu was revised after 2018 and the department has issued day-wise menu for primary classes and upper primary classes (classes VI to VIII).

Under the revised menu, students will get millet prantha with curd, ragi khichdi, besan poora, and ragi wheat gulgule, along with other food items, including rajma chawal, halwa and kala chana, vegetable pulao, kadhi pakoda, dalia and roti, as per the schedule.

However, the Rajkiya Prathmik Adhyapak Sangh has expressed dissatisfaction with the budget being provided for the midday meal.

Amit Chhabra, district president of the Adhyapak Sangh, said, “At present, Rs 5.45 material cost per day/ per child is being provided for primary classes, while for classes VI to VIII, the cost being provided is Rs 8.17. With the current budget, it is not feasible to provide recipes like besan poora, kadi pakoda, and halwa in the quantity mentioned in the menu. We demand that the cost should be increased to at least Rs 12 for the primary and Rs 15 for the upper primary classes. The government should also provide ragi from HAFED.”

“We have also raised concern regarding the government’s decision to start supplies of commodities for midday meal from the Har-hith stores. In this arrangement, the schools have to give the intimation of the requirement at least 15 days in advance but there can be a shortage of any commodity any time. Some of their items cost more than the items available in the open market”, he added.

Rajesh Sharma, midday meal in-charge at a government school and state deputy general secretary of the sangh, said, “A revised menu has been issued but the cooking cost has not been increased since last year. The government should increase the material cost and we also demand that instead of sending flour, the department should provide wheat so that it can be used as per the requirement.”

District Elementary Education Officer Sudhir Kalra said, “Ragi and besan poora are introduced in the midday meal. The teachers’ union has expressed its concern over the material cost and regarding the supplies from the Har-hith stores. Their concerns have been forwarded to the higher authorities for further directions.”