The fifth State-level conference of the Karnataka Rajya Akshara Dasoha Naukarara Sangha (State Midday Meal Workers’ Association), affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), will be held in Kalaburagi on November 29 and 30.
CITU leaders Gauramma Patil and M.B. Sajjan and district president of Dasoha Naukarara Sangha Vijaylakshmi, jointly addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Saturday, said that the conference will discuss various issues pertaining to the BJP-led government’s policies and the midday meal scheme.
Mr. Sajjan criticised the BJP-led government for curtailing the midday meal scheme, for the decline in the allocation for the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Union Budget 2021-22, and the reduction in the funds allocation for the midday meal programme.
The government allocated ₹11,000 crore in the budget estimate for 2021-22, against the requirement of ₹12,900 crore.
The cuts in budget allocation to the scheme are not only alarming with regard to child nutrition but also hampers education. Around 58,22,657 students aged between 6 and 14, studying in 53,000 schools in the State were getting benefit from the scheme.
