Hyderabad: The fluctuating prices of eggs are posing a fresh challenge to government schools in the midday meal programme. Students are feeling the impact as workers are forced to cut back on essential food items.
In districts like Karimnagar, Nirmal, Mancherial, and Nizamabad, midday meal workers are grappling with insufficient funds and are being forced to cut back on some items.
"Our budget is Rs 10 per child, but the current prices demand at least Rs 20 to meet the requirements," said Ranga N., a midday meal worker in Karimnagar. "We are dipping into our own savings to feed the children," he added.
The situation has reached a point where schools are unable to adhere to the planned menu. "We used to provide eggs on alternate days, but now we can only manage twice a week due to the price fluctuations. We are forced to prioritise based on budget constraints," explained C. Laxmi, a worker from Nirmal district.
Furthermore, the absence of breakfast has only added to the issue, leaving children without a proper start to their day.
"We were compelled to eliminate breakfast options like ragi, pulihora, and atkulu. Instead, we try to compensate by giving bananas around 11 am," Karuna V, another worker, told Deccan Chronicle.
With the current state-of-affairs, midday meal workers are urging authorities to address the funding shortfall on a priority basis.
"We are doing everything in our power to ensure that these children receive adequate nutrition, but we need support," pleaded Asif SK, another worker from Karimnagar. He added that in some schools, where the head of the institutions are giving a damn, students are just being fed "watery upma" as it's easy to make, especially for a bigger batch and "doesn't cost much."
Midday meals's diet takes a major hit
