Mid-day meal scheme to benefit 1.48 lakh Inter students: Kollu

Minister for Excise and Mines, Kollu Ravindra, has announced that mid-day meals will be provided to over 1.48 lakh Intermediate students across 475 junior colleges in the State.
The Minister inaugurated the Dokka Seethamma mid-day meal scheme for Intermediate students at Lady Ampthill Government Junior College, in the presence of district Collector Balaji, on Saturday. During the event, Ravindra interacted with the students and later shared lunch with them. Addressing the students, he stated that this is the first time the Government is introducing the scheme to serve mid-day meals to Intermediate students.
“The mid-day meal scheme for Intermediate students was launched under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and IT Minister Nara Lokesh. The Government is focused on developing Government educational institutions to match the standards of corporate institutions,” he said.
The Minister recalled that the late Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao had introduced the ‘one kg rice for Rs 2’ scheme, which helped alleviate hunger for the poor. He further informed that there are 44,119 schools in the State, where over 33.81 lakh students are being provided mid-day meals under the Dokka Seethamma mid-day meal scheme. With the launch of the new scheme, over 1.48 lakh Intermediate students across the State will also benefit. Ravindra also mentioned that notebooks, textbooks, and study materials are being provided to college students, and efforts are being made to supply uniforms as well. He encouraged the students to set clear life goals and work diligently to achieve them.
Collector Balaji led the students in taking a pledge to stay away from drugs. District Intermediate Officer P.B. Salman Raju, MEO Durga Prasad, and DEO P.V.J. Rama Rao were also present at the event