Adding more nutrition to Jagananna Goru Mudda program
Amaravati, March 21: Adding more nutrition to Jagananna Goru Muddha, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has formally launched the programme of serving ragi malt drink to students in Government and aided schools.
Launching the programme virtually in the presence of senior officials at the Camp Office here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that ragi malt would be served to 37, 63,698 students which costs Rs 86crores.
The ragi malt will be part of the morning menu to students in 44, 392 Government and aided schools across the State henceforth.
The Government has been implementing several programmes for improving the educational standards of students and the academic ambience in schools besides taking steps to help students maintain good health, he said.
The ragi malt will have additional nutrients of calcium and iron which helps students having anemic issues, he said and thanked the Satya Sai Central Trust for partnering with the Government and coming forward to bear Rs.42 crores out of the annual expenditure Rs. 86 crore.
While the TDP Government spent only Rs. 450crore every year to implement the mid day meal scheme, we are spending Rs 1824crore annually under Jaganana Goru Muddha for providing nutritious food to students.
The Government has been providing 15 varieties food to students with the daily menu changing and nutritious items being part of it, he said adding that boiled eggs are being given to students five days in a week. While the students are getting groundnut chikkis three days in a week, now onwards, ragi malt will be served in remaining days.
Reiterating that the Government will continue to work for the welfare of people including students, he said the State has witnessed a drastic reduction in the dropout rate in schools following the implementation of several innovative educational programmes like Amma Vodi, Nadu-Nedu, Vidya Deevena, Vasati Deevena, digitalization of class rooms, distribution of tabs to VIII class students, introduction of bilingual text books and CBSE syllabus.
The Government has also introduced job-oriented courses and online verticals to make the students attain higher IQ levels and face the competitive tests with confidence in the job market, he said.
Sri Satya Sai Baba has blessed the programme and will take it forward successfully, said the Chief Minister who also interacted with some of the students and parents virtually.
Satya Sai Central Trust Chairman Ratnakar participated in the launching virtually from Puttaparti and expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for making the Trust partner with Government in the ragi malt serving programme to students.
Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, Principal Secretary (Education) Praveen Prakash, School Education Commissioner S. Suresh, School Education Commissioner (Infrastructure) K. Bhaskar, AP Civil Supplies Corporation Vice Chairman and MD G. Veera Pandyan, Midday Meal Scheme Director Nidhi Meena and senior officials of Education Department also participated.
