Mid-day meal approved to students in holidays

Hyderabad: The Centre has approved providing mid-day meals during summer holidays for students from Class I to VIII in 231 drought-affected mandals in seven districts. Mid-day meals will be provided on all working days. This will not be applicable in Hyderabad, Adilabad and Khammam districts. The Centre has provided Rs 36.62 crore for the purpose. The scheme will benefit about 11 lakh students.

The Centre has sent a circular to the state government to make the scheme available from April 23 to June 11 in the absence of head masters and other teaching staff. The circular directed the state government to depute cooking agencies under the supervision of the panchayat secretaries, local officials and anganwadi workers during this period.

It said the menu would be flexible. The district level implementation committee under the chairmanship of collectors would have the liberty to fix the menu for the district or for various parts for different days of the week. “The only criteria to be satisfied shall be to supply 450 calories and 12 grams of protein content for primary school students, a minimum of 675 calories and 18 grams of protein content for upper primary and high school students.. Invariably they have to provide egg or banana twice a week to all children,” it said.