Sweet dish and egg pulao to be in mid-day meal only if school managements can raise funds

According to the GR, the revision was necessitated following multiple representations from stakeholders on challenges in implementing the three-course-meal plan announced in June 2024 comprising rice, pulses, sprouts, and sweet dishes like rice-kheer and Nachani Satva (sweet dish made with raagi flour).

The revised recipe set has ten dishes which can be prepared with existing cost for supply of raw materials for mid-day meals. In order to offer variety in food served, these recipes will be served on different days.

The chart of the revised set of recipes also includes options of two sweet dishes and egg pulao. But it is made clear that the government will not provide any additional funds for this.

“These two recipes – Egg Pulao and rice-kheer or Nachani Satva (sweet dish made with Raagi flour) are being provided as optional choices. Considering that the central government has instructed to increase public participation in the scheme by holding special-lunches, SMCs should try to provide the benefits of these two dishes. And sugar required for the sweet dishes should be bought with funds raised through public participation. No additional funds are being provided for this by the government,” states the GR.

Reasoning the decision, the GR further said, “There were many challenges in providing such a three-course-meal plan at local levels. Several organisations providing mid-day meal to schools and many other stakeholders submitted representations to the government regarding the challenges… In addition to these representations, the per-student daily food expenditure limit set by the Central Government, the state government has decided to amend the midday-meal changes proposed by the earlier GR.”