IEP Chandigarh April 6
Haryana Government has increased about 72 percent budget to provide mid day meal to the students of 14,409 primary schools under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PMPOSHAN). During the current year a sum of Rs. 661 crore has been earmarked against the previous year budget of Rs. 384 crore to provide mid day meal to the students.While presiding over the meeting of the State Level Steering Committee for Mid-day Meal Scheme here today, the Chief Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal directed the officers to conduct a study in different blocks regarding adding nutritional value to the meal. He asked the officers to ensure the quality and meet the nutritional standards of food besides cooking it in hygienic conditions.Mr. Kaushal directed the officers to fix the time schedule for providing meals to students so that an inspection can be done to check and ensure the quality of meal. He said meals provided under the scheme include a variety of food items based on fortified flour, rice and bajra.It was apprised in the meeting that 200ml five flavoured fortified milk is also provided to the students of Class I to VIII at least 3 days in a week along with mid day meal. Sh. Kaushal directed the officers to plan more food items containing proteins in the mid day meal.Among those present in the meeting include Additional chief Secretary, Finance, Mr. Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Mr. Vijayendra Kumar and other senior officers.