Told to buy potatoes for next 50 days’ midday meals, schools under tonnes of pressure
Potatoes are the flavour of the season for schools in Punjab, and it’s not quite sweet. Here’s why. A direction from the education department to government and aided schools has told them to purchase 50 days’ stock of potatoes from the local farmers for the midday meal scheme. With no cold storage available in schools, and the consumption running into tonnes, school authorities are wondering how to work this out.
For instance, in Ludhiana district alone, 2 lakh students consume the midday meal every day. Norms say 40 grams of potato a day for each primary student and 60 grams for each upper primary student. This roughly translates into 10,000 kg a day.
This scale of buying may bring relief to farmers who are getting impatient and facing losses due to a glut. But schools’ midday meal accounts are running low, and the fresh orders will add to the trouble, sources said.
The letter from the Ludhiana district education officer (DEO) sent to schools earlier this week says consumption of potatoes is more in midday meals, hence schools should buy them in advance. Midday meal in-charge, Ludhiana, Gulzar Shah confirmed, “On the directions from head office at Chandigarh and the additional deputy commissioner (general), we have directed schools to purchase a stock of potatoes for 50 days from local farmers. Block managers have been asked to collect details of total potatoes purchased by the schools for midday meal scheme in March.” Demand would thus be calculated.
General manager of the state midday meal cell, Prabhcharan Singh too said, “Consumption of potatoes is more in midday meals. Schools can buy from the farmer at a lower price at Rs 5 per kg, even though the market rate is Rs 8 to 10 per kg.”
Shah, when asked how the schools will manage the finances, said, “We have transferred funds to the schools and they are facing no problems in running this scheme.” But a school principal, requesting anonymity, claimed, “We are getting no advance funds to run this scheme. To give relief to farmers, they are putting burden on schools, which is not right.”