MAHBUBNAGAR: In a rare show of responsibility, staff of the government junior college here are spending from their pockets to feed students under the mid-day meal scheme every month, to ensure that the students coming from far-off villages get a nourishing meal in the afternoon. M Bhagavantha Chari, principal of the junior college, told Express that most of the students of the college are from a weaker socio-economic background.
They travel to college from their villages located about 15-25 km away. Some even come from the Nallamalla forest area. Many of them attend to farm work before coming to college and have to hurry to catch a bus. As a result, they skip breakfast many a time and do not even carry lunch, he said.
Chari, who was transferred from Achampet Junior College recently, said: “After noticing their problems, we approached the Akshaya Patra Foundation and introduced mid-day meal provision for all students in the college. This even led to increase in attendance and pass percentage in the college,” he said. The mid-day meal scheme was launched in December in junior college.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation provides meals at Rs 25 per plate to about 750 students of the college, of which `10 is borne by the college staff while Mahbubnagar municipality pays the remaining Rs 15.
“Excise Minister and Mahbubnagar MLA V Srinivas Goud made this possible. He immediately responded when we approached him and issued necessary directions to the district administration,’’ the principal said. The minister personally donated Rs 25,000 for the scheme and asked teachers to support the initiative, he added.