Non availability of mid day meals affect students attendance in Kathua
By ANIThursday, February 24, 2011
KATHUA - The non-availability of mid-meals in government-run schools in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir has affected the students’ attendance.
Mukhtiyar Ali, a school committee member said: “If the school doesn’t get its allotted mid-day meal quota, the number of students will decrease, and students belonging to poor families who don’t study will stop studying.”
Over 100,000 students from first to eighth grade in Kathua and neighbouring districts such as Udhampur have not received any meals for the last few months.
The State Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System, Qamar Ali Akhoon has said he would look into the matter.
“I will look into this matter and see which department needs help. I will talk to the Deputy Commissioner” Akhoon said.
Thousands of school students of impoverished families in Kathua district are eligible for food under the government sponsored Mid-Day Meal programme.
The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is an initiative of the Central Government.
Kathua district has 1,381 government schools where mid-day meals are being provided to students of classes one to eight, numbering about 47,000 students.(ANI)
