Advani to launch novel mid-day meal scheme in Jodhpur

New Delhi, Nov 4 (UNI) Annapoorna, the Bangalore based mid-day meal scheme feeding over 70,000 primaryschool children is now all set to replicate its Karnataka experience in distant Jodhpur in Rajasthan to reach out to similar number of schoolchildren in collaboration with the Rajasthan government.

The scheme run by Adamya Chetana, a trust headed by Mr Ananth Kumar, the MP from Bangalore South has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government for providing mid-day meals to 65,000 schoolchildren studying in standards one to five in government and aided schools in Jodhpur and surrounding 20 Km areas.

The Trust has hired a place in Sir Pratap School for its centralised kitchen and would require about 70 to 80 people for cooking, cleaning, loading and supplying food to schools, Mrs Suparna Diwakar, a trustee of Adamya Chetana told UNI. The Trust has signed a three year MoU with the Rajasthan government.

The mid-day meal per child costs Rs 2.32 a child each day. The Rajasthan Government will provide Rs two besides 100 grams of food grains of wheat and rice per child while the trust will use the money for converting the raw material to khichdi, halva and sabji and serve it hot to the children. It has to mop up Rs 32 paise deficit by way of donations for each child.

The Annapoorna scheme in Karnataka is serving rice based mid-day meals in Jodhpur, while it will add local vegetables to suit local taste buds.

The scheme will be inaugurated by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her colleagues commemorating Gurunanak Jayanti tomorrow noon.

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