Around two lakh students are allegedly deprived of getting eggs under the midday meal (MDM) programme in the State. The students are provided vegetarian dishes in place of egg and they show no interest in the food.
Notably, two organisations — the Akshaya Patra Foundation and the Nandi Foundation — have been assigned to provide cooked meal to around two lakh students per day under the MDM programme in several regions of the State.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is providing cooked meal to primary school students in the capital city and several districts. However, egg is missing in the menu. Earlier, students were given two boiled eggs per head in a week. But the organisation has not kept the egg in the menu, and instead of eggs, paneer curry is given. The quantity of paneer curry served to the students fails to substitute egg, experts say.
The students are not interested to have vegetarian food prepared without onion and garlic. While students’ presence was more for MDM on the days when eggs were served, now their attendance has started to decline. Even, the school authorities have reduced the quantity of food fearing waste, say teachers and parents.
The MDM authorities said the Government has not decided to stop providing egg. But the students are not served egg as it is not in the menu of the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
Action would be taken against the organisation if the school managing committee gives a written complaint about the food provided by the
organisation, said an official. If the managing committee wants, nutritious food can be served to the students as it was given earlier, he added.
Notably, 49,26,563 students are getting benefits under the MDM scheme in the State. Recently, the Government raised the amount by 7 per cent towards expenses under the scheme. However, the students are getting egg in meals where the Nandi Foundation is providing meal.