The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Mid-day meal launched amid initial hiccups

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Mid-day meal launched amid initial hiccups

Special Correspondent

Students forced to return home with empty stomachs
Rs. 300 cr. allotted for implementation of mid-day meals

-Photo: Mohd. Arif

Food for all: Education Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha launches mid-day meal scheme at Ramchandrapuram in Medak district.

HYDERABAD: The mid-day meal scheme for high school students was formally launched on Monday amid initial hiccups like non-supply of rice in time forcing students to return home with empty stomachs and complaints on the quality of meals.

Students in many parts of the State did not come prepared for the mid-day meal due to the hurry with which the programme was launched while those who came prepared with plates could not take their lunch as the revenue officials allegedly failed to arrange for supply of rice.

Blame game

As a result, hundreds of students returned without availing the scheme. About 40 per cent of high school students in East Godavari district did not get mid-day meal due to lack of coordination among the departments concerned ending in a blame game.

In West Godavari, students of Zilla Parishad school at Kamavarapukota felt the pinch of the VVIPs’ ‘punctuality’ and could take their lunch only at 2.30 p.m. as Minister Maganti Venkateswara Rao did not arrive in time.

The speeches by the VVIPs consumed some more time before the students were `permitted’ to take their lunch.

In Medak, School Education Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said that both the Centre and State governments allotted Rs. 300 crore for the implementation of mid-day meals.

Addressing a gathering after formally launching the scheme at Ramachandrapuram High School, he said the Centre sanctioned Rs. 103 crore for construction of kitchen sheds and purchase of utensils.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh