Mid-day meals: Eggs & bananas twice a week for govt school students from Aug 18

The Karnataka government has decided to commence distributing eggs and bananas to school students, twice a week, from August 18, informed Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa.

Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that government school students, from classes 1-10, will be given eggs and bananas twice a week along with the mid-day meal.

The scheme will commence from August 18 and will be inaugurated in Mandya district first, he said.

“Earlier, it was planned to extend the scheme till 8th standard. Now, a decision has been taken to extend the scheme up to 10th standard. The scheme is being implemented to ensure providing nutritious food to the students,” he explained.

Earlier, the Karnataka government’s decision had triggered a controversy in the state. The decision had angered a section of society who demanded that eggs shouldn’t be distributed in school premises as it encourages discrimination among school going children.

Another section supporting the egg supplement to school children claimed that this project shouldn’t stop as protein supplement is badly needed by the students. They maintained children who have better access to better nutrition have better education outcomes.

The BJP-JD (S) coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy had rolled back its project of distributing eggs to school children in 2007 succumbing to pressure from religious groups. However, the previous BJP government implemented the scheme.

Then Education Minister B. C. Nagesh stated that the project has been implemented amid people opposing and vouching for it.

“There is no substitution for egg as such. There is soya bean, but children won’t eat it. The project has been implemented with an intention to address malnutrition among children,” he had stated.

 

With IANS inputs