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The Odisha government recently announced an increase in the expenditure on the midday meal for schoolchildren. As per the announcement, the midday meal cost will be increased by one rupee per student, considering the rise in the prices of essential commodities and criticisms over the quality and nutritional value of meals provided in government schools.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently announced this while attending the state-level Children’s Day function in Bhubaneswar. He said that the cost per child for midday meals will be increased by one rupee which means it will rise to Rs 6.90 for primary school students and Rs 9.82 for upper primary students. This increase aims to improve the meal quality provided to approximately 4.3 million students across more than 50,000 schools in the state.
Nutritional Concerns Still Persist…
The midday meals especially include rice-dalma, rice-soy curry, and rice with egg curry twice a week, but the rising cost of essential ingredients such as lentils, oil, and eggs has raised concerns over the quality of these meals. Critics argue that the quality of meals could still remain inadequate without more significant financial support.
The state's 'Aahar' scheme, offering subsidised meals for underprivileged adults, highlights these concerns. Under this programme, recipients pay Rs 5 for a nutritious meal costing the government over Rs 20, a fact that fuels questions about the disparity in meal funding.
Calls for Reform
The effort to provide midday meals began in Madras in 1925 to combat malnutrition and improve school attendance, transitioning to a nationwide initiative. Today, the Prime Minister’s Nutrition Programme, funded in part by the central government, supports over 110 million children in 1.1 million schools throughout India. Despite the central government's 60% funding contribution to Odisha's programme, many voices, including the Utkal Primary Teachers Federation, are calling for more robust enhancements to ensure that nutritional standards are met.
While previous increments, like those in 2022, have slightly adjusted the meal cost, there is eagerness for comprehensive reform under the new political leadership. Whether the latest cost increase will have a meaningful impact or not is still remain to be seen as educators and parents alike call for measures that align better with the skyrocketing prices of vegetables and other ingredients.
By: Dilip Sabat
(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
