NALGONDA: Blame it on shooting up of egg prices, the students of government and anganwadi schools were not being served eggs in their menu for the past 15 days across the district. Instead, they were given bananas or other fruits.The government provides eggs in the mid-day meals served in government schools and also to pregnant woman at anganwadi centres as part of providing nutritious food to the children and pregnant woman. In May this year, the government entrusted the supply of eggs to several contractors at a price ranging from `3 to 3.50 per egg.
Price of an egg was anywhere`3 then. However, the egg prices shot up to `5 to `7 in the recent times. Eggs are available at a minimum price of `5 in wholesale market and it is touching even `6.50 in retail market presently. With the increased prices, the contractors were unable to supply eggs. Instead, they were supplying bananas or other fruits.
As per the government rules, eggs should be served thrice weekly to schoolchildren during midday meals and everyday at anganwadi centers to provide nutritious food for children and pregnant women.
In Nalgonda district there are 2,093 anganwadi centers and about 2.44 lakh students are studying in 2,075 government schools.
A contractor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that due to increase in egg prices, they were unable to supply eggs to schools and anganvadi centers. He requested the government to increase the amount to the contractors to ensure regular supply of eggs.An ICDS official told Express that they would request the government to increase the amount to the contractors so that they can supply eggs for mid-day meals and angawadi centres.