Punjab Government has provided an amount of Rs. 275. 81 crore under the Mid-day meal scheme catering to approximate 19 lac students studying in primary and upper-primary government schools in the state.Disclosing this here today Education and Language Minister, Punjab Sikander Singh Maluka said that Punjab stood first in North India in Mid-day meal scheme and bagged 2nd position in all over India. Taking special care to the food being cooked hygienically and ensuring its nutrient value, the Minister said that government has engaged 40243 cook-cum-helpers in the state, to prepare and serve hygienic and delicious meal to the students daily. Rs. 8.60 crore have also been provided for utensils in all the schools in the state. Minister also said that the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts has been appointed as Chairman of the scheme to ensure its proper implementation and quality & quantity of the mid-day meal.
The District administration would hold meetings of the District Steering Monitoring Committee from time to time to review the position of food grains received, utilized and balances lying in stock to check pilferage if any. The minister further said that the mid-day meal scheme is being implemented by the Non- government organizations (NGOs) in urban and rural schools in the districts of Sangrur, Nawan Shahar, Mohali, Bathinda and Moga.Besides providing Mid-day meal, the government undertakes health check-ups of primary school students twice a year and for upper primary students once a year in the State, said the minister. A Primary school student is being given a meal containing 450K calorie and 12 gm protein and a meal containing 700K calorie and 20 gm protein is being given to the upper primary students.