After a lot of waiting and discussions with the education department and experts in the Technical Advisory Committee, Mid Day Meals finally resumed across all government schools in Karnataka on October 21. BC Nagesh, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, had promised that the government will resume the Mid Day Meal Scheme for students soon after Dasara holidays.
The Minister visited the Government Girls High School in Tiptur, Tumakura, to check the arrangement of Mid Day Meals and served food to all the students there. Similarly, students studying at the Government Higher Primary School in Nilogipura in Koppal district were happy to eat Mid Day Meals along with their friends after 18 months.
Rekha Kulal, a teacher at the Government Higher Primary School in Hosanagara taluk, said, "We are happy that children are able to get meals. Until now, the schools functioned for half a day. From now, we will be able to conduct the classes on all week days and the usual full-day classes will resume."
Hanumanthappa Kuri, who is a teacher as well as Cluster Research Person in Koppal district, said, "The government has provided dal, oil, rice, salt and other food items that are required to cook these Mid Day Meals. If schools need vegetables and other items, then it is included in the contingency list and supplied to the schools. As a Cluster Research Person, I visited more than five schools and observed that at least 90 children were present in each school."
As many as 60 lakh children are benefitted from this scheme across Karnataka. Meals are cooked at a cost of Rs 4.97 per student for those in Classes I to V and Rs 7.45 per student for those between Classes VI and X.
