Belagavi: Skyrocketing prices especially vegetables TomatoBelagavi district is facing challenges in running the government’s Akshara Dasoha scheme smoothly. The government provides midday meal to the students under this scheme.
Mid-day meals are provided through both NGOs and school kitchens. Out of 1,764 schools in Belagavi Educational District, 1,495 schools are provided food by NGOs and 169 schools have kitchens in the school premises. In Chikodi educational district, out of 2,241 schools, 1,935 schools distribute mid-day meals through NGOs. 306 schools prepare these and distribute them at school sites. So, out of 4,005 schools in both the districts, 3,430 schools serve mid-day meals through NGOs and 575 schools through kitchen centers in schools.
Tomato prices have crossed Rs 120 per kg. Beans, zucchini, chillies, other vegetables and coriander also hit the highest prices. The prices of poultry and eggs have increased significantly. In such a situation, it has become a challenge to provide hot midday meal to the students under the Akshara Dasoha scheme in the schools.
Government supplies food items to schools under mid day meal scheme, Grant is released for vegetables, sambar powder and salt. Rs 1.93 per student for classes I to V and Rs 2.89 per student for classes VI to X. Eggs cost Rs 7 to Rs 7.5 per piece in retail outlets. But the government gives only five rupees on each egg. One rupee is distributed for transportation and cooking of eggs.
The hot mid-day meal should contain 50 grams of nutritious food and vegetables for each student in classes I to V and 75 grams for each student of classes VI to 10. The officials are not concerned about the nutritional content of the food provided through the NGO. But everyone inquires about the quality and quantity of vegetables and groceries purchased at the school’s cooking centers. Therefore, due to the increase in the price of vegetables, the school meals have reduced.
An education department official, who did not wish to be named, said the NGO gets vegetables and groceries at a lower price because they buy them in bulk. The NGOs are not affected by the fluctuations in the market price. But schools with kitchens will be hit by the price hike.
A government school teacher looking after the mid-day meal lamented that it was not possible to buy even half a kilo of tomatoes with the amount given by the government due to the price hike. It is difficult to cover the nutritional value of vegetables as per the guidelines.
Sub-District Officer Akshar Dasoha, Laxmanrao Yakundi said that the government does not give grants on the basis of market prices. Therefore, the price hike will not affect school lunches in any way. Though it is difficult to manage the expenses due to the increase in prices, it will be managed from the surplus funds, he added.
Mid-day meals are provided through both NGOs and school kitchens. Out of 1,764 schools in Belagavi Educational District, 1,495 schools are provided food by NGOs and 169 schools have kitchens in the school premises. In Chikodi educational district, out of 2,241 schools, 1,935 schools distribute mid-day meals through NGOs. 306 schools prepare these and distribute them at school sites. So, out of 4,005 schools in both the districts, 3,430 schools serve mid-day meals through NGOs and 575 schools through kitchen centers in schools.
Tomato prices have crossed Rs 120 per kg. Beans, zucchini, chillies, other vegetables and coriander also hit the highest prices. The prices of poultry and eggs have increased significantly. In such a situation, it has become a challenge to provide hot midday meal to the students under the Akshara Dasoha scheme in the schools.
Government supplies food items to schools under mid day meal scheme, Grant is released for vegetables, sambar powder and salt. Rs 1.93 per student for classes I to V and Rs 2.89 per student for classes VI to X. Eggs cost Rs 7 to Rs 7.5 per piece in retail outlets. But the government gives only five rupees on each egg. One rupee is distributed for transportation and cooking of eggs.
The hot mid-day meal should contain 50 grams of nutritious food and vegetables for each student in classes I to V and 75 grams for each student of classes VI to 10. The officials are not concerned about the nutritional content of the food provided through the NGO. But everyone inquires about the quality and quantity of vegetables and groceries purchased at the school’s cooking centers. Therefore, due to the increase in the price of vegetables, the school meals have reduced.
An education department official, who did not wish to be named, said the NGO gets vegetables and groceries at a lower price because they buy them in bulk. The NGOs are not affected by the fluctuations in the market price. But schools with kitchens will be hit by the price hike.
A government school teacher looking after the mid-day meal lamented that it was not possible to buy even half a kilo of tomatoes with the amount given by the government due to the price hike. It is difficult to cover the nutritional value of vegetables as per the guidelines.
Sub-District Officer Akshar Dasoha, Laxmanrao Yakundi said that the government does not give grants on the basis of market prices. Therefore, the price hike will not affect school lunches in any way. Though it is difficult to manage the expenses due to the increase in prices, it will be managed from the surplus funds, he added.