Supplementary Nutrition for School Students Approved in UP

Lucknow:The 30th Executive Committee meeting of the Mid-Day Meal Authority was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh. During the meeting, the Chief Secretary emphasized the provision of high-quality supplementary nutrition to all students enrolled in schools covered under the scheme. He directed that the procurement of food items should be done locally, adhering to established quality standards. The initiative was approved for all schools in Uttar Pradesh covered by the scheme, and it will commence from November 2024 until March 2025, with supplementary nutrition being provided every Thursday.

The supplementary nutrition will include locally sourced items like peanut chikki, jaggery-peanut laddus, amaranth (ramdana) laddus, or roasted gram, ensuring a minimum of 20 grams or 50 grams per student, respectively. The cost has been set at ₹5 per student per day, with an estimated total expenditure of ₹95 crore, funded by ₹57 crore from the central government and ₹38 crore from the state. The meeting saw the participation of several senior officials, including Director General of School Education, Mrs. Kanchan Verma, highlighting the state's commitment to student health and nutrition.