Uttar Pradesh village heads threaten to stop midday meal

Lucknow: The association of village heads of Uttar Pradesh has threatened to stop the distribution of midday meals in primary schools because they can no longer pay for the cooking with the Rs.2.50 they get per child. And they haven't even been paid this amount for a long time.

The Pradesh Gram Pradhan Sangh (PGPS), as the association is called, says this Rs.2.50 per student, called "conversion cost", is a two-year-old rate and inadequate to cover the cost.

Out of this Rs.2.50, "40 paise per head is given to the cook and the remaining Rs.2.10 is utilized in buying sugar, oil, vegetables, milk, spices, etc. It is now impossible to arrange food," said R.K. Singh, head of Pinhat Miranpur Pinvat village near the state capital.
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