Eggs are back on the school lunch menu and free bus service for students resumed on Monday, December 5. The Puducherry school education department used to provide students in government schools two eggs per week. Students were given rice and money instead of lunch after schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
After the schools reopened following lockdowns, Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-profit organisation, took on the project of providing mid-day meals to students. This non-profit organisation only serves vegetarian food. As a result, the students received no eggs. At the same time, political parties insisted on providing school children eggs for lunch.
Following this, students were given eggs beginning December 5 through the central kitchen. On December 5, a total of one lakh eggs were distributed to 50,000 students in 293 schools. Two days per week, eggs will be served. According to officials, 147 school students will receive eggs on the first day and 146 students will receive eggs on the second day, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
Similarly, free bus service for students in Puducherry was resumed after being suspended following the COVID pandemic. However, due to the tendering process, there was a delay in resuming service. For the past six months, no free bus service has been provided to students since the schools reopened. A Namassivayam, Minister of Education, announced that free buses will be provided for school and college students. The flag was raised and the bus service was re-launched by Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, and Namassivayam, as reported by The New Indian Express.
