Vijayawada: Diet Charges Hiked for BC Hostel Students
Revised rates from October 1; new menu includes eggs six days and chicken thrice a week.
Vijayawada: The state government has increased diet charges for students staying in BC welfare hostels and Gurukuls, with the revised rates coming into effect from October 1, BC, EWS welfare, handlooms and textiles minister S. Savita said on Thursday.
Welcoming the decision, Savita said the hike would enable the government to provide better quality and tastier food to BC students.
Orders had also been issued introducing a new menu in accordance with the enhanced diet charges, she said.
Under the revised rates, diet charges for students from Classes 3 to 6 have been increased from ₹1,150 to ₹1,265 per month.
For Classes 7 to 10, the charges have been raised from ₹1,400 to ₹1,600. Students studying Intermediate and above will receive an increase from ₹1,600 to ₹1,800 per month.
The new menu will provide eggs on six days a week and chicken on three days, besides milk and fruits every day.
Students will also be served a balanced diet comprising millet-based chikkis, ragi laddus, pulses, leafy vegetables and other vegetables.
Savita said providing nutritious and quality food to students was one of the key objectives of the government.
The enhanced charges would help improve both the quality and nutritional value of meals served in BC hostels and Gurukuls, she added.
The minister thanked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for increasing the diet charges with the health and welfare of BC students in mind.
She said efforts were being made to provide nutritious food and facilities that would make students feel at home in the hostels and Gurukuls.
Savita expressed the hope that BC students would make the best use of the facilities and achieve excellent results in the forthcoming SSC and Intermediate examinations.