Following reports that peanut chikki, which are provided to school children as supplementary nutrition along with midday meals, are high in sugar and unsaturated fats, the Department of School Education and Literary (DSEL), Government of Karnataka, issued orders on Monday, February 17, to give only eggs and bananas as supplementary nutrition, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The order cited a letter by the Additional Commissioner of School Education, Kalaburagi district, which stated that there are unsaturated fats and high sugar levels in chikkis. If they are not stored properly and distributed to school children, it may have adverse effect on their health.
The order also cited another letter by Additional Commissioner of Dharwad, who brought to the notice of the DSEL that chikkis which were not stored properly and also those which had crossed expiration dates were being distributed to children. He had also advised the department to stop the distribution of peanut chikki along with midday meals, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
Considering this, the DSEL has ordered to supply only eggs and bananas as supplementary nutrition, directing the commissioner of the department to issue separate guidelines in this connection.
