Balasore: Students of Talakahalia Primary School in Balasore district were served biscuits in lunch on Tuesday after there was a shortage of mid-day meals. According to reports, the central kitchen in charge of providing meals to the schools allegedly provided lunch for 10 students, while the headmaster had sent requisition for meals for 50 students.
Due to insufficient mid-day meals some students could not get lunch and the school authorities serve biscuits instead.
After the matter came to fore, the district collector ordered for an investigation and the district education officer has also reportedly submitted a report. The authorities of the central kitchen clarified that there was shortage of mid-day meals after supply to other schools.
Minalikanta Das, an employee of the central kitchen said, “The school generally informs us about the approximate attendance in advance and accordingly we send the meals. However, sometimes lapses happen by chance.”
Bhaskar Chandra Panda, the headmaster of the school clarified, “The kitchen authorities informed us about the shortage of rice in mid-day meals quite late and we could cook rice for the students. So we provided biscuits to the students.”