Team Herald
PANJIM: After initial reluctance to accept the revised mid-day meal scheme that replaced pulao with chapati-bhaji from November 1, the self help groups are willing to continue with the menu with a demand to increase wages by Rs one per meal.
The mid-day meal suppliers recently submitted a representation to the Directorate of Education seeking raising the amount to meet the current expenses.
Director G P Bhat said the government will be briefed on their demand on Tuesday based on which a final decision will be taken. “We will forward the delegation’s representation copy to the government for decision. Other than this, the suppliers have no problem to continue with the revised scheme,” he said, speaking to Herald.
The supply to chapati-bhaji thrice a week will thus continue uninterrupted when the educational institutions re-open after along Diwali break.
As per the rule, students should avail chapati-bhaji every three days a week and pao/poli-bhaji on the remaining days.
The mid-day meal, covering all government and aided primary to high schools, had replaced pulao with chapati-bhaji for the reason that students refused to eat the former meal complaining it was often served cold and tended to be dry and tasteless. This was a result of gap between the preparation process to the time food, which later led to a re-think on an alternate meal.
The suppliers had however expressed their reservation to serve chapati-bhaji citing various reasons. The department, refusing to omit chapati-bhaji from the menu, allowed them to serve this meal to schools in batches spread over the week in a bid to reduce workload on the cooking staff.
The new scheme comprises of chole bhaji and pao/poli, masoor bhaji and chapati, red chowli bhaji and chapati, chana bhaji and pao/poli, chana-kuleeth mix bhaji and pav/poli, and chowli-paute mix bhaji and chapati. The revised scheme also increased the rates – Rs 5.71 per student per day for primary, and Rs 6.79 per student per day for the upper primary and high schools. The groups also sought further increasing the rate.
