Eggs will be included in the midday meals for children in seven districts in Karnataka from the 2021-2022 academic year.
Ballari, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayapura, and Yadgir in north Karnataka have been chosen as they have a very high percentage of malnourished children. Over 14 lakh children are likely to benefit from the move.
Sources in the department said that the plan was approved by the Union government to provide eggs in districts that have high malnutrition and anaemia rates as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
Although there have been several proposals in the past to provide eggs, the plan had been shelved owing to opposition from members of certain communities and for political reasons.
While eggs will be distributed to those who are willing to eat them, department officials said that they are in search of an alternative for students who do not eat them.
Public health doctors and nutritionists have welcomed the move. Sylvia Karpagam, who is part of the Right to Food campaign, said it was a long pending decision.
“It should definitely be everyday and it will have multiple benefits: good-quality proteins, minerals, Vitamins except C, and many other nutrients like choline, fatty acids etc. that will help the development of bones and all other internal organs. There will definitely be resistance from the usual quarters but the government should know that it’s on the side of science and some of the most vulnerable children,” she said.
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She added that there is no need to limit it to these seven districts.
Department officials are, however, worried about how it would be implemented this academic year with upper primary classes still being closed owing to the pandemic.
