BENGALURU: A proposal to include eggs in midday meals for class 9 and 10 students of government schools is pending with the Kalyana Karnataka development board. However, approvals are likely to take time with the impending legislative elections and thereby the model code of conduct.
The proposal from the Primary and Secondary Education Department comes in the wake of a number of requests from School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMC's) for the same, and a proposal was thus sent to the Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB) confirmed officials from both departments.
A senior official from the Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB) told The New Indian Express that due to election code of conduct the proposal is pending.
"The expenditure to be incurred is a recurring one. And due to the election code of conduct, the board cannot make new approvals," said the official.
The source also added that since the top official at the department may also be involved in the winter session at Belagavi should it happen, from December 13, the next possible movement of the file can be expected in January.
At the moment the state is catering to 14,44,322 children of classes 1-8 from seven aspirational districts having high prevalence of malnutrition including anemia as per National Family Health Survey (NFHS) — Yadgir, Raichur, Bidar, Bellary, Kalburgi, Koppal and Vijaypura. The Rs 39.53 crore expenditure for the egg scheme will be borne by the Central government under its Flexifund component.
The midday meal scheme is funded by the central government and state government till class 8. So, the egg scheme, if extended to older children would require state government funding. Hence, the board has been approached for funding the scheme for class 9 and 10 students of government schools in Kalyana Karnataka region, said an education official.
"It feels odd when younger students in the school are getting the eggs and older ones are denied it," said an education official, adding that the proposal sent to the KKRDB will only be able to fund government schools, as aided schools do not come under their purview.
Six out of the seven aspirational districts (which are known to have incidence of malnutrition among children) are covered under the current eggs in midday meal scheme come under the Kalyana Karnataka region, Narayana Gowda, joint-director, midday meals scheme, told The New Indian Express.
The parents' demands for eggs in meals for older children comes in the backdrop of statewide demand for eggs in meal scheme for all students in 31 districts, and the backlash reported from Lingayat organisations.