BHUBANESWAR: Amid allegations of vegetarian students being offered eggs in their mid-day meals (MDMs), the School and Mass Education department on Thursday asked all education officers to ensure that such students are provided fruits under the PM-POSHAN scheme.
The state nodal officer of PM-POSHAN has written to the district education officers directing them to abide by the new MDM guidelines that mandate fruits for vegetarian students. The move comes after complaints being made by parents and school management committees against certain schools not giving fruits to students who are unwilling to eat eggs.
In August, the SME department announced to provide fruits to vegetarian students or students who do not wish to eat eggs, in MDM. Fruits are to be provided to students from Sishu Vatika (pre-primary class) to Class X on Monday, Wednesday and Friday when egg is served.
It was decided that the schools will provide fruits like bananas and apples or any seasonal fruit to students who do not consume eggs.
The department had asked the DEOs to make the necessary arrangements to provide fruits at the cost equivalent to one egg to students opting for vegetarian meals.
Many of the schools are yet to adopt the new norm full-fledgedly. A headmaster, requesting anonymity, said although introducing fruits is a good move, it is a logistical burden on the school system which is already struggling with managing academics and MDM. “Fruits do not have a shelf life and need to be procured every day unlike the other commodities under MDM, which are generally purchased at intervals and stocked,” he said.
Prior to the fruit arrangement, students who were not willing to eat eggs were provided curry with rice and allowed to take their share of raw eggs home. “Usually, the curry is cooked with potatoes and vegetables and a part of it is set aside for vegetarian students before eggs are put in it for the non-vegetarian students,” he said.
Heads of schools have been demanding roping in of SHGs to manage MDM or creation of a new post for the purpose.
