NEW DELHI: Starting next year, the midday meal scheme is likely to be extended to students in classes IX and X in government schools across the country.
The decision was taken in the first meetings chaired by the new Union Human Resources Development Minister, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank.
“Our initial estimate is that an additional Rs 4,000 crore would be required to extend the service till secondary level,” a senior official in the school education department said. “We are hoping to get the Cabinet nod by the year-end and the programme is likely to be expanded from the next financial year.” Another official said the matter will also be discussed in the meeting of state education ministers on June 22.
Educationist Anjela Taneja hailed the proposed plan and said providing meals in schools is a practice followed in most of the developed world. “There is however a flip side to it and it should be ensured that teachers do not get sucked into it.”