The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced it will be discontinuing funding for eggs and sugar for the midday meal programmes for its government-run schools.
In November 2023, the state government, in a bid to overcome protein deficiency among students, had introduced one egg per week for each student beneficiary of the midday meal scheme. Students who did not want eggs could opt for fruit instead. Each egg was allocated an additional budget of ₹5 per student. However, following protests from right-wing groups, the policy was modified. Schools were instructed not to serve eggs where at least 40% of parents opposed them. Schools receiving meals from non-governmental organisations such as Akshaya Patra were also excluded from the egg provision.
Tuesday’s government resolution also says that should school management committees (SMCs) insist on providing their students with eggs, they will have to generate resources through contributions by the public. “Egg Pulao and sweet dishes such as rice-kheer and Nachani Satva remain optional, but schools must arrange funds for sugar and eggs through public contributions,” reads the GR.
The state spent ₹50 crore annually on giving 24 lakh school children one egg per week, said a government official who did not wish to be named. The revised meal plan now consists of ten different dishes that can be prepared using the existing funds allocated for raw materials.
Prior to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh had dropped eggs from the midday meal menu, and more recently the Goa government too dropped its plan to introduce eggs in the menu following push back from certain quarters. In contrast, governments in southern states have added to the number of eggs given to children to ensure their protein requirements are met.
Last year, the Karnataka government announced it would be providing children under the midday meal scheme with one egg six days of the week. Earlier this month, Kerala government announced it was provisioning for additional ₹22.66 crore to give students eggs once a week and milk twice a week. According to data presented in the Lok Sabha in February 2023, 14 states and one Union territory provide eggs as part of midday meals.
In its GR, the Maharashtra government said the decision to drop funding for eggs and sugar was in response to multiple representations from stakeholders about the challenges in implementing the proposed three-course meal plan.
“The central government has emphasized increasing public participation in the midday meal scheme through special lunches. In this regard, school management committees should try to provide the benefits of these dishes. The sugar required for sweet dishes should also be procured through public funds, as no additional government funding will be provided,” the GR stated. It cited the financial limitations set by the central government on per-student daily food expenditure as a factor in the decision.
Maharashtra’s decision has drawn criticism with educationists and SMC members questioning the government’s priorities. Shailesh Gharat, a member of an SMC of a Zilla Parishad school in Thane district said, “The government spends Rs. 200 crores on just advertisements for Ladki Bahin scheme but refuses to provide essential nutrition to students,” he said.
Mahendra Ganpule, former spokesperson of the Maharashtra State Principals’ Association, said, “SMCs have already raised funds for school infrastructure such as computer labs through community support and CSR initiatives. Now, the government can’t even provide students with eggs once a week,” he said sharing his disappointment.
The midday meal program, now known as the PM POSHAN scheme, is a centrally sponsored initiative covering approximately 12.21 crore children in government and government-aided schools. The scheme provides one hot cooked meal per day to students in Bal Vatika (pre-primary) and Classes 1 to 8 across 10.84 lakh schools.
As per government guidelines, midday meals for primary students (Classes 1 to 5) must provide at least 450 calories and 12 grams of protein. For upper primary students (Classes 6 to 8), the meals should contain 700 calories and 20 grams of protein.
While the scheme is primarily funded by the central government, state governments and union territories bear 40% of the cost and are responsible for implementing the programme. States have the flexibility to decide their menu based on local preferences, provided they meet the required nutritional standards. Some states choose to provide eggs using their own resources.