State revises allocation of food in mid-day meals

KOLKATA: The allocation of food in mid-day meals in state-run schools is set to witness a change from June with Bengal gram (chhola) being completely excluded from the list of food items. The School Education department will start distribution of mid day-meals from June 7 and directions related to it have already been published by the department.

The allocation of sugar and soyabean in mid-day meals will also be reduced from June.

Till May, the state had given 500gm sugar and 200gm soyabean but from next month 250gm sugar and 100gm soyabean will be provided. Gram was included in mid-day meals from last year for the purpose of increasing the nutrition of children.

The state has gradually introduced a new type of food in its mid-day meal scheme amidst the pandemic situation. Sugar pulses and soyabean were introduced in mid-day meals from the month of March. As per notification of the School Education department 1 kg potato, 2 kg rice, 250 gm sugar, 100 gm soyabean , 250 gm pulses, and a piece of soap will be allocated in the mid-day meals from June.

The parents of the students will, however, continue to

collect the mid-day meals abiding by Covid protocols from their ward's respective schools. The presence of students has been stopped in schools since April last year due to the Covid situation.However, the department has not attributed any reason for the the change in allocation of the mid-day meals.