Midday Meal Grains Yet to Reach Schools Even After Dasara Vacation

CH NEWS KALABURAGI Even after schools reopened following the Dasara vacation, essential food grains required for the midday meal scheme have not reached several government schools in Afzalpur taluk, creating difficulties for headmasters in ensuring uninterrupted meals for students. Shrikant Kachapur, taluk president of the State Non-Graduate Primary School Headmasters' Association, said the delay in supplying food grains had affected preparations for the midday meal programme at several schools. He said many schools in the taluk had faced shortages of food grains in September. The concerned Akshara Dasoha officials had been contacted and requested to ensure supplies. Headmasters had expected the food grains to arrive during the Dasara vacation, but some schools were still waiting even after classes resumed.With students returning to classrooms, schools require adequate stocks of rice, wheat and cooking oil to prepare midday meals. The delay has made it difficult for headmasters to manage kitchen operations smoothly, Kachapur said. Egg prices add to financial burden The cost of procuring eggs and bananas for students has also become a challenge for headmasters. While the government has fixed the amount payable for an egg at ₹6, the market price is around ₹8, leaving schools to bear an additional expense.Kachapur said headmasters were already handling academic responsibilities and various administrative tasks assigned by different departments, alongside their responsibility to ensure that children received nutritious midday meals. BOX Shrikant Kachapur urged the authorities concerned to expedite the supply of essential food grains and take immediate measures to prevent disruption of the midday meal scheme in government schools. The delay, he said, should be addressed promptly so that students do not suffer because of shortcomings in the supply system.