Minister for Finance and Civil Supplies Eatala Rajender said the Telangana model of mid-day meals in schools and meal format in residential schools and hostels has become a model for other states to replicate the system.
During Question Hour in the Assembly on Wednesday, he said that even being the youngest in the Indian Republic, the State was drawing attention by supplying super fine rice in its endeavour to ensure complete nutritious food to students by letting them eat however much they wanted to and could. A direct impact of such a policy was the way they were motivated to study and excel in academics, he said.
“Our Government and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao feel that one could not limit the quantity of food for children to 125, 175 or 400 grams of rice, considering their nutritional needs at the growing age. It would be unfair on our part to restrict their intake and no matter how many thousands of crores of rupees the scheme needs, we are determined to run it in the best manner possible,” said Mr. Rajender, to applause in a House that was practically devoid of the Opposition.
In his reply to queries raised by members, he said that Rs. 2,200 crore was provided in the budget under subsidy-on-rice scheme for the welfare of students in schools and hostels. It was estimated that they would need about two lakh metric tonnes of fine rice for the entire year and they were prepared, he said, adding that as of now, 71,729 tonnes (32,299 for hostels and 39,430 tonnes for schools) of super fine rice were supplied to 3,036 hostels and 34,319 schools with 5.39 lakh and 29.86 lakh students, respectively.
To a question about toddy tappers, Minister for Prohibition and Excise, T. Padma Rao said that Government had sanctioned Rs.28.25 lakh towards payment of ex-gratia for toddy tappers and pointed out that the ex-gratia for those who died and those who suffered permanent disability after falling from trees, was enhanced from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh.
Also, he said that the monthly pension for those about 50 years of age and unable to climb a tree was enhanced from a mere Rs.200 to Rs.1,000.
