Amid opposition of various Lingayat seers for the distribution of eggs to students, a 45-member team, including students and faculty members from Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University (KSRDPU), Gadag, has taken up a 10-day baseline study in Yadgir district from Tuesday to ascertain the health parameters of the children.
The state government is providing eggs to students of classes one to eight to eradicate malnutrition in seven districts in Kalyana Karnataka and Vijayapur district in the midday meal.
Yadgir DDPI Shantanagouda told DH that a total of 30 schools have been selected in three taluks of the district.
"A total of 41 students and four faculty members from the KSRDPU have arrived for the study. Eleven schools each from Yadgir and Surpur taluks and eight schools in Shahapur taluk have been chosen for the study. The team includes local doctors who will help in conducting the study in a scientific manner," he added.
During the study, the university students will check the height, weight and other health parameters of students. After four months, they will conduct another study to know whether distributing eggs helped the students against malnutrition.
They will submit a report to Kalaburagi division public instruction additional commissioner Nalini Atul, the DDPI said adding that the study has been taken up on the directions from the RDPR principal secretary Uma Mahadevan.
A KSRDPU official, who refused to be quoted, said the students from food science technology, master of public health and master of social work are part of the team. They will study the nutrition supplement and other parameters and will submit the report, he added.
'80 per cent want eggs'
Nalini Atul said, "After we decided to distribute eggs to the children, the department conducted an informal survey in all schools of the region. About 80 per cent to 85 per cent of students expressed their willingness to have eggs along with midday meals.
About the increase in students' attendance after egg distribution started, she said, "We have directed all headmasters, BEOs and DDPIs of the region to submit a report in this regard. We can't say about the attendance increase in schools without proper data. We need to study the situation for at least 15 to 20 days."
Echoing the same view, Yadgir DDPI Shantanagouda said it is too early to say that the number of students arriving at schools has increased only after egg distribution started. About 75 per cent to 80 per cent will be an average attendance in schools of the district, he said.
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