Mid-day meals in Telangana: Nearly 70 percent of schools still cook with firewood

As per the mid-day meals social audit for 2024, only one in four schools have switched to LPG cylinders.

Hyderabad: Despite the availability of the LPG cylinders, around 68 percent of the government and local body schools in the State are still dependent on using firewood for making mid-day meals. In urban schools, the figure is even higher at 78 percent.

The use of firewood has raised concerns about the health risks for children, teachers and kitchen staff, as well as its impact on the environment. As per the mid-day meals social audit for 2024, only one in four schools have switched to LPG cylinders.

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Schools depending on the centralised kitchen services for the mid-day meals for students comprise only 10 percent while the rest engage the services of local cooks.

If the government school has an open place, the mid-day meals are prepared within the school premises or a local cook makes the meals at his or her residence and it is then transported to the school for serving children during lunch hours.