Providing relief to lakhs of students in the Corona pandemic, Minister of Human Resource Development, DR Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank took to his twitter handle to inform that the students who were eligible under the Mid Day Meal scheme would now be getting Food Security Allowance. The FSA in place of coked food till their schools re-open.
As per the minister, the regular meals would be offered once the schools re-open. He informed that the concerned authorities would continue with the FSA which would comprise of food grain, pulses and oil that would be equivalent to the cost of cooking a meal for them till the schools are set to reopen. The step would ensure better health and nutrition among school-going children.
The schools in the country have been non-opeartive physically since March 24, 2020, after the national lockdown was announced. Since then the students who were enrolled for the scheme were not able to get the complete benefit due to social distancing norms that needed to be followed.
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The first Mid Day Meal Programme was introduced for economically weak children in Madras Municipal Corporation in 1925. In the 1980s three states, Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the UT of Pondicherry had introduced the scheme of a cooked Mid Day Meal using their own resources for primary students.
To ensure nutrition and health among school-going children even when schools are closed, I have advised the concerned authorities to continue with the Food Security Allowance comprising of food grains & pulses, oil, etc. (equivalent to cooking cost)
— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) August 1, 2020
