By IANS,
Panaji : The food given to school children in Goa under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme is unfit even for animals, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the legislative assembly Tuesday.
He said the government wanted to improve the quality of the food served in its schools, suggesting milk and whole grain biscuits and involving parents-teachers associations in the meal cooking and distribution process as the options.
“Even animals will not eat the food given to students under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. The rice which is given in the ‘pulao’ is not fit for animal consumption,” he told the assembly during Question Hour.
“We will decide by Diwali what is to be done. We have several alternatives to choose from,” he said.
He said a lot of food provided to schools under the scheme was wasted since the students refused to eat it.
Parrikar, who is also the education minister, said one of the options was roping in PTAs, which could be paid by schools to arrange the meals or set up hygienic community kitchens in schools.
“Another option is giving packed milk such as Amul and whole grain biscuits that have all the nutrients,” Parrikar said.