Chhindwara, September 11: A serious controversy has emerged regarding the quality of mid-day meals served to school children in Manegaon, Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. A video surfaced showing students being served raw and poor-quality potatoes.
Local villagers raised complaints about the substandard food being provided to children at the school. A worker responsible for preparing the mid-day meal has also reported issues to the principal, claiming that they are not provided adequate rations to prepare nutritious meals.
The principal stated that the school management is responsible for overseeing the mid-day meal arrangements and assured that they strive to maintain better quality in the food served.
Concerns about food quality have been echoed by students, who reported finding hair and insects in their meals. Recently, at a school in the Dindori development block, students complained that the food served did not match the menu.
In a separate incident, a video from Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, went viral showing children being served only rice and water under the guise of mid-day meals, raising questions about the adequacy of the food provided.
On September 10, students at an Urdu middle school in Chakkand, Bihar, protested against the poor quality of their mid-day meals. They alleged that the principal threatened them with legal action if they complained about the food.
In Bihar, reports emerged of insects found in meals across approximately 75 government schools in the Arwal district, leading to children refusing to eat. In another alarming case, detergent powder was reportedly mixed with salt in meals, resulting in 34 children falling ill.
In Jodhpur, Rajasthan, videos surfaced showing unsanitary conditions in which mid-day meals were being prepared, prompting the education department to form an investigation committee.
The central government outlines that the weekly menu and quantity of mid-day meals are determined by state governments in accordance with the Ministry of Education. Over 10.35 lakh government and aided schools across the country serve mid-day meals to approximately 8.5 crore children daily.