Rising egg prices force Telangana schools to cut mid-day meal egg supply

Mid-day meal workers in Telangana plan to reduce egg servings in government and local body schools because rising egg prices have outpaced government reimbursement. The union has urged the State government to supply eggs directly and increase financial support.

Hyderabad: Rising egg prices and inadequate reimbursement from the Telangana Congress government are set to push eggs off government and local body school children’s plates once again. Earlier, eggs were dropped from the menu due to high cost in November last year.

Now, the mid-day meal workers have decided to reduce the supply of eggs to children from thrice to once a week and intend a complete halt of eggs if the government fails to revise the per-egg cost or directly supply them to the school.

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This move comes as the government reimburses only Rs 6 per egg, while an egg is now being sold between Rs 8.50 and Rs 10 placing the mid-day meal agencies and workers who cook and serve food to 10.55 lakh children under financial stress.

For instance, the government pays Rs 312 per day towards egg costs for 52 students of a local body school in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. However, the cook is procuring eggs for Rs 442 daily, incurring a loss of Rs 130 every day, translating to a weekly loss of nearly Rs 400.

Telangana Mid-day Meal Scheme Workers union raised the issue with the School Education department and wanted the government to directly supply eggs to schools.

“Due to additional transportation charges, the cost of an egg has gone up to Rs 10 in the agency areas. Why should we bear the additional burden when the government does not reimburse,” said Vijaya Laxmi, a mid-day meal worker from Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.

Now, the rising costs of vegetables, edible oil, salt, and other grocery items have also put them in a fix.

“We urge the government to directly supply eggs, provisions and vegetables, along with LPG cylinders and their refilling cost, to schools. As promised during the Assembly election campaign, the government should also enhance our monthly honorarium to Rs. 10,000,” said P Prema Pavani, president, Telangana Mid-day Meal Scheme Workers Union.