Bhubaneswar: The state government Saturday asked district education officers (DEOs) to ensure students, who do not consume eggs, are given fruits under the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme.
In a letter, PM POSHAN state nodal officer Bhabani Prasad Mishra asked all DEOs to make necessary arrangements at their level to provide fruits at the cost equivalent to one egg to the students from Sishu Vatika to Class X who do not consume egg on the days when eggs are served as per the approved MDM menu.
The move came a day after the School and Mass Education (S&ME) department’s additional secretary, Madhumita Rath, wrote in this regard to the PM POSHAN state nodal officer.
Rath said the S&ME department had in 2014 decided to provide fruits like banana and apple to students opting for a vegetarian diet when egg was served under MDM at a cost equivalent to that of an egg.
Later, the provision of eggs in MDM was expanded to thrice weekly – Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – and the MDM was extended from Sishu Vatika to Class X, Rath said.
“Now, the state government has extended the 2014 provision for providing fruits equivalent in cost to one egg to students from Sishu Vatika to Class X who do not consume eggs on days when eggs are served as per the approved MDM menu,” the S&ME department additional secretary said, asking the PM POSHAN state nodal offi cer to ensure necessary action in this regard.
PNN
