The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Egg or milk' dilemma divides Ministry

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Egg or milk' dilemma divides Ministry

S. Rajendran

Deputy Chief Minister puts on hold the order on midday meal menu

PLATEFUL: A file picture of schoolchildren enjoying their `Bisi Oota' in Bangalore. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Should it be eggs or milk that should be provided to schoolchildren as part of the midday meal scheme? This is an issue that is dividing the Government. The heads of religious maths seem to be calling the shots on the issue.

It was only last week that the State Government, and in particular Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had categorically stated that the Government would go ahead with the scheme to provide eggs to schoolchildren. This firm assurance had come under attack by those who opposed eggs primarily on religious grounds.

Although the direction was supposed to be implemented straightway, the Chief Minister has yielded to pressure if his statement made in Mysore on Saturday in the presence of a swamiji is any indication.

It is learnt that the Cabinet meeting saw heated arguments over the issue. Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had apparently asked the authorities concerned to withdraw the proposed scheme.

Under an assistance programme extended by the Union Government for the midday meal scheme, the State Government opted for providing an egg rather than fruits or milk since a poultry egg was rich in protein, an essential nutrient that children required the most in their growing age. This measure would have benefited poultry farmers. While the daily production of eggs was about 95 lakh, the demand in the market was for not more than 50 lakhs. The Ministry of Animal Husbandry pleaded for eggs since a market was readily available for another 40 lakh eggs.

Sources in the Government said the Department of Women and Child Welfare, which was monitoring the scheme, was in favour of leaving it to the children to decide whether they wanted an egg, fruit or milk. It was mentioned that the local poultry market was flooded with eggs from Tamil Nadu.

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