PUDUCHERRY: The students of government schools will be provided with food security allowance (FSA) in lieu of midday meals since the meals were not provided with the schools being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Agriculture R Kamalakannan holding the Education portfolio said that the National food security act (NFSA) provides for payment of Food security allowance comprising food grains and cooking cost to all eligible students (class one to eight) in lieu of a hot midday meal scheme.
Accordingly, the first installment of the FSA for the period March 18 to May 31 is being released at the rate of Rs 290 per student for classes one to five and Rs 390 per student for classes six to eight. The FSA would be paid from September 15 to 18 in the respective schools.
The parents of students who studied in first to eight standards during the previous academic year in the government schools can visit the respective schools of their wards and collect the FSA. They are required to bring ration cards for identification.
The Department of Education will also be conducting a device availability survey for online classes.
In order to facilitate reading habits among students, the schools will also be lending library books available in the respective schools. The students can read the books and write one or two-page reviews of what they have read. Their parents can also help them. After the schools reopen, the books will be collected back and the best three reviews submitted in each school will be given prizes, he said.