Hyderabad: Telangana is set to become the first state in the country to offer both breakfast and mid-day meals to Intermediate students in government and aided junior colleges. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will launch the scheme on June 12.
While several states currently implement either breakfast or mid-day meal programs for school students, and Andhra Pradesh has extended its mid-day meal scheme to Intermediate students, Telangana's initiative stands out by covering both meals for this age group.
According to officials, the state designed the comprehensive meal program based on recommendations from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) to ensure that Intermediate students receive adequate nutritional support. “Until now, the mid-day meal scheme was implemented exclusively for school students across the country. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took a decision to extend the provision of mid-day meals to Intermediate students. Consequently, Telangana is set to become the first state to provide both breakfast and mid-day meals to Intermediate students,” officials said.
Participation and Budget
Officials estimate that 41,250 students will participate in the scheme on the first day, June 12. Once classes resume in full swing, approximately 1.92 lakh first and second-year students are expected to avail themselves of breakfast and mid-day meals daily. The government plans to allocate ₹80 crore for breakfast and ₹100 crore for mid-day meals for Intermediate students.
Target Beneficiaries
A majority of students enrolled in government and aided colleges belong to weaker sections, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), minorities, and economically backward classes. An official noted that due to financial constraints, many students were quitting their studies after class 10 to take up employment. The meal scheme aims to address this issue by providing nutritional support and encouraging continued education.
Breakfast Menu
- Day 1: Dosa + Chutney
- Day 2: Millet Idli + Sambar
- Day 3: Puri + Mixed Vegetable Kurma
- Day 4: Bonda + Chutney
- Day 5: Idli + Chutney
- Day 6: Upma + Chutney / Sambar
Additionally, 150 ml of milk will be provided on alternate days.
