25 students taken ill due to stale food in Andhra school
Interestingly, a new menu under the Mid-Day Meal scheme called Jagananna Gorumudda was introduced on November 21. The government changed the menu to strengthen physical fitness among the students.
The officials said students studying in government and aided-run schools are being provided better nutritious food than earlier.
Under the scheme, the government supplies Rs 6.13 and 100 grams of rice per student in primary schools and Rs 8.53 and 120 grams rice per student in upper primary schools. As per new norms, the mid day meals agencies should provide rice, vegetable curry, dal sambar, egg curry, chutney and so on and also provide at least three boiled eggs in a week to the beneficiary students.
In recent months, both the Telugu states have seen a series of incidents of students in government schools, especially in residential schools, falling ill after eating food supplied by school authorities.
This is attributed to poor quality of food items being prepared by the catering agencies given the contract and their negligence while cooking the food.
