Jhalawar : Under the Jhalawar Mid Day Meal Scheme, mid-day meal is provided daily to all the students of classes 1 to 8 in government schools. This scheme was created with the objective of motivating the students to come to school regularly and provide adequate nutrition. But rising inflation has affected the plan. In this the students’ plate is being affected. Thousands of students in government schools of the district benefit from this scheme. Recently, prices of green vegetables have also increased due to weather instability. Along with vegetables, the prices of pulses, oil and spices have also increased significantly in the last one year. This is affecting the children’s plate. Due to inflation, the quantity of nutritional items in the menu is being reduced.
different daily menu
The Education Department has prescribed a separate menu from Monday to Saturday. Monday includes roti-sabji, Tuesday dal-sabji/rice, Wednesday dal-roti, Thursday khichdi (dal, rice, vegetable), Friday dal-roti, Saturday roti-sabji. Apart from this, there is a provision to serve protein and vitamin rich green vegetables and fruits to children twice a week in this menu. But fruits and green vegetables are not being served regularly because they are expensive.
Due to lack of increase in the cost price of Mid Day Meal Scheme as per the market price, teachers and school management are facing difficulty in providing quality food to the children. In some schools, children are getting less bread and more water in pulses. Fruits almost stopped being available. The increase in cooking conversion amount in October 2022 has not brought any meaningful change. This is causing problems to teachers and increasing resentment among parents. Officials monitor the nutritional content and quality of food but do not pay attention to the lack of improvement in the budget. Teachers associated with the mid-day meal scheme say that vegetables, chillies, spices, everything has become expensive. According to inflation, the government should increase the cooking conversion amount twice a year, so that children can get quality food as per the menu.
This amount is being received
For nutritional material, students of class 1 to 5 get payment of Rs 5.45 per student and students of class 6 to 8 get payment of Rs 8.17 per student from the Education Department. This amount includes oil, pulses, chilli, spices and gas cylinder. But the increase in prices of fruits, vegetables and oil has made this amount inadequate.
