Hyderabad: Egg disappears from midday meal platter

Hyderabad: Even as the State government schools are deprived from getting quality mid-day meals, they are now also not receiving eggs from the Manna Trust NGO. As the State government is yet to pay the bills of around Rs 7.5 crore from February, the NGO who has been serving midday meal to the government schools have stopped providing eggs to the schools.

According to government school teachers, the mid-day meals in the government-run and aided schools are provided by Manna Trust (NGO) in association with the State government. From the last week of July, the supply of eggs has been stopped as the NGO claims that the State government is yet to pay the bills.

"Last egg was given on July 26 and after that they have stopped supplying eggs. Also no supplementary is been sent instead of egg. Egg should be served to the children as it a proper nutritive food which helps them in living a healthy life. Before Coivd-19 eggs were supplied to us regularly, but after covid eggs are been served only thrice a week that is Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. But at present, they are not including eggs in the meal. We have given many representations to the State government but all fell in deaf ears," said Ramanandaiah, headmaster of Government High School, Purna Phool.

"Not serving eggs to the students will be a huge problem to the health of the students s they are already deprived of quality food. Even after submitting many representations no action has been taken by the government," said a teacher of Government High School, Kachiguda.

Meanwhile, a member of Manna Trust (NGO) said "Due to non-payment of bills, we have stooped including eggs in the meal. Around Rs 7.5 crore is pending sicne February. We have given many letters to the State government to clear the bills but have not received any response from them yet."