Midday meals were undoubtedly a major factor that brought a large number of students to school in India. So when the schools reopened online in Kerala this year owing to the pandemic, there was a concern among the students and parents about this. However, the Kerala government on Thursday had announced that it will compensate by providing dry groceries to school students across the state.

The programme which is set to benefit 26.27 Lakh students across Kerala was inaugurated by the state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "Students from pre-primary to grade VIII will receive grocery kits that contain rice and nine types of pulses as part of this scheme. This is done with the support of the Department of Public Instruction," Vijayan said in a press conference. The Anganwadi students in the state have been receiving food kits free of cost from the government since the beginning of March, the time when the state announced the closing of all educational institutions.

Vijayan added that no other state in the country was as successful as Kerala in conducting online classes for its students. "Most of the people in the state already had the necessary facilities like televisions, laptops and phones. Only a few students found it difficult and we intervened to increase accessibility and bridge the digital divide. We thank all the people who helped us achieve this," he said. He added that students who face difficulty in accessing these lessons can contact the education department, which will make the necessary arrangements.