On Wednesday, the department of school education announced that as part of the Flexibility for Innovative Intervention activity under the PM Poshan Shakti Nirman (Midday Meals) scheme for all districts from classes 1–8, eggs or bananas/chikkis (supplementary nutrition) would be included in the midday meals.
According to the decree, all districts will supply supplemental nourishment for 46 days per year during the current academic year 2022–2023. In this respect, the secretary of the department of school education and literacy said that each kid will receive supplemental nourishment for 46 days at a cost of Rs 6 per pupil.
The directive further specified that the PM Poshan Shakti Nirman monies made available last year will be utilised to expand the supplemental feeding programme throughout all districts. A total of Rs 34,711 crores under the plan were authorised, of which Rs 4494 crores would be spent for the supplemental feeding programme during this academic year.
After noticing the rising malnutrition among schoolchildren, the Karnataka government previously carried out a pilot project between December 2021 and March 2022 by introducing eggs in midday meals in the Kalyan Karnataka region, including Bidar, Kalburgi, Ballari, Vijayanagara, Koppala, Raichur, and Yadgiri. The Center and the State received a 60:40 split of the cash allocated for the same.
Education minister BC Nagesh said, ‘The response from the Kalyan Karnataka region on the inclusion of eggs has been very good and it was seen that the outcome has been very positive. Hence we have decided to extend eggs or bananas/chikkis in midday meals across all districts and we want to ensure that malnutrition doesn’t impede education’.
The directive also said that egg purchases should take place at the school level and that school administrators must make sure that only high-quality eggs are bought and delivered. Additionally, the government has mandated that the school administration update the distribution of eggs information on the SATS and MDM websites (Student Achievement Track System and Midday Meal, respectively).
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