Students suffer as Telangana Congress govt neglects mid-day meal scheme

For nearly a year, the mid-day meals in the government and local body schools ran on an outdated cost, forcing schools to struggle to provide better quality and nutritious meals. This is despite the Central government revising the cooking charges in November 2024. However, the State government has failed to implement the hike for nearly a year.

Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress government appears to be neglecting the mid-day meal scheme, which feeds lakhs of students in the government and local body schools in the State.

For nearly a year, the mid-day meals in the government and local body schools ran on an outdated cost. This is despite the Central government revising the cooking charges under the PM POSHAN Scheme (Mid-day meals) in November 2024. However, the State government failed to implement the hike for nearly a year. The expenditure for the mid-day meals is borne by both the Central and State government in the ratio of 60:40.

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The Central government had on November 27, 2024, revised the mid-day meal cooking cost per child per day, raising the cost from Rs.5.45 to Rs.6.19 for Bala Vatikas and primary schools. Similarly, it enhanced the cost from Rs.8.17 per child to Rs.9.29 for students studying in the upper primary schools. This revised cost was set for implementation from December 1, 2024.

However, the State government failed to raise its matching grant of Rs.2.48 for primary and Rs.3.72 for upper primary schools, forcing schools to struggle to provide better quality and nutritious meals. This is despite the Education department requesting the government to revise the cost citing enhancement by the Central government.

After repeated requests and follow ups by the department, the government released an order on October 31, 2025, announcing the matching grant for the scheme. Further, cooking cost for classes IX and X has also been enhanced from Rs.10.67 to Rs.11.79.

In fact, in the last one year, the Central government revised the mid-day meal cooking cost per child twice, with the last revision done in the month of May 2025. The cost has been enhanced to Rs.6.78 for children in Bala Vatikas and primary schools, and Rs.10.17 for primary school students.

Of the total cost, the Centre has a contribution of Rs.4.07 per primary student and Rs.6.10 per upper primary student. Since the State did not revise the rates accordingly, it has lost out on additional Central funds.

According to sources, the Education department had requested the government to revise the cooking charges once in December 2024 and again in the month of May 2025.

“Generally, it takes about a month or two for revision. However, this time it was delayed by the government. The proposal to revise charges as per hike done in May is yet to be provided,” sources added.