The dietitians will also decide and suggest alternative vegetables in case of price rise, according to Minister Madhu Bangarappa.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The Department of School Education & Literacy has decided to constitute a committee, comprising dieticians, to ensure quality food is served to children under the mid-day meal scheme.
Following an increase in complaints that vegetables and pulses are not being used properly while cooking food under the scheme, the department has taken this decision.
According to School Education & Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa, the department will consult the dieticians committee and send the revised food chart for schools across the state.
Speaking to DH, Madhu said, “We are discussing whether to increase the quality of pulses or the rice, which vegetable should be used,... because whenever there is a price hike of vegetables, the kids are deprived of nutrition. For example, during the recent hike in tomato price, I don’t think the schools used tomato. For this, we need to find an alternative.”
Madhu further stated that the dieticians will also decide and suggest alternative vegetables in case of price rise. “No one should cheat on children just because of the price hike and we should ensure quality and nutritious food for them,” he added.
The minister is of the opinion that unpolished rice is better than the polished ones. But, he says, parents and kids prefer polished rice. “When we are spending so much on mid-day meal, how can we compromise on the quality of food served,” he questions.
Currently the department is serving cooked mid-day meal with 450 calories and 12 gm of protein to every child at primary level, and 700 calories and 20 gm of protein at higher primary level. This energy and protein requirement for a primary child comes from cooking 100 gm of rice/flour, 20 gm pulses and 50 gm vegetables and 5 gm oil, and for a higher primary child it comes from 150 gm of rice/flour, 30 gm of pulses and 75 gm of vegetables and 7.5 gm of oil.