Mid-day meal scheme updates: Telangana Govt clears dues

The School Education department has cleared pending bills for the mid-day meal scheme for April, June, and July across government schools in Telangana. A total of Rs 25.64 crore was released for egg costs for students in Classes 1 to 8, and Rs 28.43 crore was allocated for cooking costs for Classes 9 and 10.

District Educational Officers (DEOs) have been instructed to disburse these funds through Mandal Educational Officers (MEOs) based on school requirements and to ensure the scheme aligns with government guidelines, reported The New Indian Express.

Workers' hunger strike

In September, thousands of mid-day meal workers staged a two-day hunger strike to demand an increase in meal charges and the clearance of long-overdue bills. The Telangana Mid-Day Meal Workers Union, representing all 54,200 workers, had previously announced a hunger strike at district headquarters on August 6 and 7, threatening an indefinite strike from September 1 if their demands were unmet. The strike was in response to unpaid bills, salaries up to July 2025, and overdue breakfast bills.

Union demands

The Union has called for either an increase in the per-meal allocation to Rs 25 per student or the direct supply of essential provisions such as cooking gas, eggs, and groceries to schools. Additionally, workers demanded a minimum monthly salary of Rs 10,000, citing a Congress party manifesto promise from the assembly elections.