HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Food Commission is unhappy with the response submitted by the Director of School Education (DSE) on providing mid-day meals to schoolchildren. Director of School Education A Sridevasena, in her reply to the commission, said that most students from government schools were covered under the free rice distribution scheme provided to Food Security Card holders.
Taking a serious view of the non-implementation of the mid-day meals scheme in the State, the Food Commission has jotted down a five-page letter enlisting the Supreme Court and Central government’s directions on providing mid-day meals in the event of the Covid-19 induced crisis. The commission has asked the DSE to furnish a compliance report of the Supreme Court’s guidelines and a plan of action to ensure proper implementation of the scheme.
“When they said that most of the students are covered under the scheme, it means that some students are still being deprived of food. Moreover, the ration was not given to all people below the poverty line as nearly 5 lakh ration card applications are still pending. What about them?” said a Food Commission member.