All posts tagged: mid-day meals

Nutritionist reacts to eggs being replaced by paneer, rajma, soya in Bengal mid-day meals

Nutritionist reacts to eggs being replaced by paneer, rajma, soya in Bengal mid-day meals

As the West Bengal government’s decision to drop eggs from mid-day meals in schools sparked a political debate, senior dietician and nutritionist Dr Suneet Khanna said the discussion should centre on children’s nutrition rather than political narratives. Members of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Seva Dal hold eggs during a protest over their various demands at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Head office, in Kolkata on Thursday. (Aloke Dey) The BJP-led Bengal government is engaging ISKCON to provide cooked mid-day meals under a pilot project in schools falling under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). Since ISKCON has a vegetarian-only policy, eggs will not be part of the menu anymore, and will reportedly be replaced by protein-rich vegetarian options, including paneer, rajma, soya products, pulses and milk-based food. Reacting to the move, Khanna said, “The decision to replace eggs with soybean and paneer in schools were ISKCON provides mid-day meals has sparked debate. It is important to remember that organisations like ISKCON and the Jain community follow a life-long commitment to vegetarianism rooted in their …

Odisha to provide mid-day meals to govt school students of Class 9 and 10, announces CM Mohan Majhi | Education

Odisha to provide mid-day meals to govt school students of Class 9 and 10, announces CM Mohan Majhi | Education

Odisha would soon provide mid day meals to around 8 lakh students studying in std 9 and 10 of government schools in the state, chief minister Mohan Majhi announced at a function in Cuttack on Tuesday. Odisha government will provide mid-day meals to school students of Class 9 and 10, CM Mohan Majhi announced. (File/Hindustan Times) Majhi made the announcement during the centenary celebration of Ranihat high school in Cuttack town on Tuesday evening. Officials said the state Budget for 2025-26 set to be tabled next week in the state Assembly would have Budgetary provisions for the same. Also read: JIPMAT 2025: Registration begins at exams.nta.ac.in/JIPMAT, check exam date here After the BJP government came to power, there were demands to include the students of Std 9 and 10 in the scheme as many alleged that they were being discriminated. Since its inception in July 1995 in Odisha, the Mid-Day Meal program provided cooked midday meals to primary school students in government and government-aided schools from Class I to V throughout the state. From April …

Congress slams Kerala govt for exempting school mid-day meal scheme from obtaining food safety licence | India News

The Congress in Kerala on Tuesday urged the state government to reverse its decision to exempt the mid-day meal scheme in state-run schools from obtaining the mandatory food safety licence. The Congress termed as “irresponsible and objectionable” the order issued by the General Education Department not to conduct quality inspections in schools with regard to mid-day meals. The opposition party also pointed out various incidents of food poisoning reported in state schools in recent times to raise its objection. In a letter sent to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said the order, issued late last month, stated that children’s mid-day meal is not a business venture and so food safety licence is not required for it. Citing Section 3 of the Union Government’s Safe Food and Healthy Diet for School Children Regulation 2020, he said the quality of the food being served to children should be ensured. “It is the constitutional responsibility of the state government to implement the Central Food Security Act. The decision not to comply with …