Chhattisgarh legislators on Friday urged Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to make eggs available to children in midday meal three days a week.
The MLAs made the appeal in a written letter to CM close on the heels of a religious sects demanding of the government to take off eggs from the mid-day meal menu as the non-vegetarian food is hurting their “religious sentiment.” Panthshri Prakash Muni, the religious head of Kabir Panth, who has around 35 lakh followers in the state, threatened to launch an indefinite agitation if the government fail to withdraw its order to include egg in the mid-day meal by July 16.
Government is providing egg and banana with the midday meal in Kabirdham district to reduce malnutrition and anemic condition of children. MLAs have stated in the letter that keeping in view the level of malnutrition among the children of Chhattisgarh, it’s important to include nutrients such as protein in adequate quantity in their daily diet, according to a government's written communique. Requesting Chief Minister that eggs should be made available to children in midday meal trice a week, they said it will not only help in eradication of malnutrition but will also contribute in building healthy Chhattisgarh.