LPG shortage hits mid-day meal scheme at rural govt schools in Jalandhar

Amid deepening shortage of LPG cylinders, mid-day meal workers in several rural government schools of Jalandhar have raised serious concerns, stating that school kitchens may soon be forced to revert to firewood for cooking if the situation does not improve. Workers say irregular supply of LPG cylinders has already started affecting the preparation of food for students, putting the government run mid-day meal scheme at risk.

According to workers associated with the scheme, although every school is officially allotted two cylinders for preparing mid-day meals, many institutions are left with only one cylinder, creating serious difficulties in timely booking of the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

The problem is reported to be more acute in the rural areas where LPG deliveries have become more erratic over the last few days with refills often getting delayed, leaving kitchens with little or no backup when the existing cylinder will run out.

Mamta Sharma, state president of the Mid-day Meal Worker Union said, “LPG cylinders are essential to prepare meals for children. If the gas supply keeps getting delayed, it will become extremely challenging for us to manage cooking on time.”

“The issue appears to be less severe in urban government schools where LPG cylinders are adequate for now. However, in the rural areas, irregular and delayed cylinder deliveries are creating uncertainty and could disrupt the smooth functioning of the mid-day meal programme,” she said.

Suman, another worker at a government primary school in Sultanpur said, “We are left with LPG stock for just a few days and are struggling to arrange another cylinder. If the situation does not improve, we may have to look for alternatives like firewood to continue preparing mid-day meals.”