Konathala Urges SHRC To Direct AP Govt To Resume Mid-Day Meals To Inter Students

Visakhapatnam, July 4 (Maxim News): Former MP Konathala Rama Krishna today pleaded with the State Human Rights Commission to issue interim directions to the Andhra Pradesh government to resume the Mid-Day meal scheme for Intermediate students in government colleges immediately. He also submitted to the HRC that stopping Mid-Day meals for Intermediate students was an ill-advised move without taking into consideration the concerns of the students, their parents and the lecturers in their respective colleges.

In a petition to the State HRC, former MP from Anakapalle constituency in Visakhapatnam district Konathala Rama Krishna, on behalf of the Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika said, “the State government has taken a decision to stop serving Mid-Day meals to Intermediate students in government colleges abruptly by oral instructions by Board of Intermediate Education department. Due to abrupt stopping of Mid-Day meals, some two lakh Intermediate students belonging to BC, SC, ST & Minority were suffering. He also contended that there was clear violation of Articla-14 & Article-21 of the Constitution. The failure is nothing but violation of Human dignity guaranteed under Article-21 of the Constitution”, he said.

Stating that Mid-Day Meal Scheme was started in Government junior colleges in Andhra Pradesh on August 1 last year, 2018, the former MP said it was stopped three days back without notice and an explanation. He said the budget for the scheme for every academic year works out to Rs 60 crore benefiting two lakh students across the State. We hereby respectfully submit that the majority of the students in government junior colleges are those from BC, SC and ST communities.

Rama Krishna said the aim of Mid-Day schemes since its conception in the country was to reduce drop out rate, increase enrolment of students, improve attendance, preventing malnutrition and improve students’ results. The scheme mandates that each student gets 966 calories of meal, which is the aim of the scheme. He also said many Intermediate students come from remote areas and it cannot be expected of them to go home for lunch and return for classes.

Welcoming YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government’s decision extending “Amma Vodi” Scheme for Intermediate students, Konathala said scrapping of Mid-Day meal scheme for Intermediate students in Government colleges was strange. (Maxim News)