The Hindu : Noon meal scheme to be revised

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Noon meal scheme to be revised

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI JAN. 11. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, today said that the Mid-day meal scheme launched on January 2 throughout the State was only under trial at present and was likely to be revised based on the experience during the last 10 days.

Addressing a grama sabha at Erikapenta, a remote village in the Sodam mandal on the western track of his native Chittoor district, Mr. Naidu was responding to complaints made at the sabha by students and the School Committee chairpersons that the 100 gm rice each being served to the students was not adequate. It was only under trial now and "we are aware of all its short-comings and operational problems. If necessary we will revise the entire scheme suitably covering all aspects,'' he said, and sought the cooperation of the public.

A notable feature of the Chief Minister's speech at the grama sabha was that on more than one occasion he sought to paint a gloomy picture about the financial position of the State marked by increasing expenditure and a steep fall in the revenue in the wake of an acute drought gripping the State as never before in the last 30 years. He also spoke of total fall in the hydel power generation, water-levels in the Nagarjunasagar, Srisailam reservoirs touching the rock-bottom, the bleak past and future of agriculture in the State in the aftermath of the unprecedented drought etc. He also took the occasion to indicate the huge expenditure being incurred by his Government on various welfare programmes. He cited in this connection the Rs.2300 crores being spent on various subsidies, Rs.2500 crores under the Velugu programme covering 40 lakh people belonging to the below the poverty line mark, and now the Rs.250-crore mid-day meal scheme. It was not immediately known as to what he was trying to drive home-- an imminent slash in the budget allocations for the welfare schemes, subsidies etc. But he did not elaborate on that making it difficult to figure out what he was trying to drive at.

He urged people to appreciate the difficult phase his Government was passing through and wanted them to encourage who worked for them and discard those who did not. He also cautioned officials to be wary of the enlightened public who was no novice but were quick-witted to see through all games.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Noon meal scheme to be revised

Conditional offer to T.N. on Telugu Ganga water

Rallies mark conclusion of Janmabhoomi

UN award-winner down in dumps

Constable killed in encounter

CM suspends MRO

Naidu in his elements

CM seeks feedback