PNS | Hyderabad
The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to provide free breakfast to students studying in government schools from Classes I to X will be launched across the state on Friday. Ministers, legislators, and other public representatives will launch this programme in a school in every Assembly constituency.
The BF menu features Idly and Sambar or Wheat Rava (Upma) with chutney on Monday, Puri with Aloo Kurma or Tomato Baath with Rava and Sambar on Tuesday, Upma and Sambar or Rice Rava Kichidi with chutney on Wednesday, Millet Idly and Sambar or Pongal with Sambar on Thursday, Uggani/Poha/Millet Idly with chutney or Wheat Rava Kichidi with Chutney on Friday, Pongal with Sambar or Vegetable Pulao and Raita or Aloo Kurma on Saturday. The breakfast will be served 45 minutes before school time.
Around 23 lakh students in 27,147 schools will benefit from the breakfast scheme. The state government has already allocated Rs 672 crore and that has been spent on this scheme.
Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy said that after the Dusshera vacation, arrangements are being made to kickstart the scheme in all schools.
“Basic facilities are being improved in schools and the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of this scheme is being entrusted to Municipal Commissioners in urban areas and Additional District Collectors in rural areas,” she said.
Sabitha said that the Education Department, the Panchayat Raj, and the Women and Child
Welfare Departments will coordinate and implement the scheme efficiently.
Students studying from Class 1 to 10 will be provided with breakfast. The scheme will be useful in providing nutritious food to students, reducing dropout rates and generating interest in studies.
“In the mid-day meal scheme, meals with thin rice and three eggs are being provided per week. The government is paying an additional amount of Rs 187 crore for thin rice and Rs 120 crore for eggs,” she added.
The Minister said that while the mid-day meal scheme is being implemented only from Grade 1 to Grade 8 elsewhere in the country, in TS we are providing it to Class 9 and Class 10 students as well, and we are spending an additional Rs 137 crore for this.
“As part of steps to provide food containing iron and other micronutrients, copper jaggery is being provided at a cost of Rs 32 crore to students studying in government schools. Food inspectors and other officials will regularly inspect schools to check the quality of the breakfast,” she said.
