In addition to egg, banana, and shenga chikki in midday meals, the State government now plans to add millets like ragi and jowar to the diet of government and aided schoolchildren.
As a part of providing regional and nutritious food, the Department of School Education and Literacy plans to provide ragi mudde for South Karnataka students and jolada rotti for North Karnataka students, along with rice and sambar in the midday meals.
The government provides midday meals and a cup of hot milk to government and aided schoolchildren across the State. Rice, sambar, vegetables, and corn are part of the meals. Also, weekly once, they are given wheat in the form uppittu, godi payasa, or chapathi.
In addition, the government distributes boiled egg, banana, and shenga chikki weekly twice to students of classes 1 to 8.
Vishal R., Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction, told The Hindu: “Months ago, officials of the Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KFCSC) offered to supply ragi upto the month of January and jowar for September at competitive prices, as they had excess stock. We have different food systems in the State. Ragi and jowar are major grains of the State and consumption of ragi is more in the southern districts and jowar in the northern districts.”
“Providing local food relevant to that geographical area is the best thing. Ragi mudde and jolada rotti will be distributed along with rice and sambar, soon,” the Commissioner said.
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