VISAKHAPATNAM: Former minister Konathala Ramakrishna approached the State Human Rights Commission, by requesting the Commission to direct AP government to resume the implementation of Midday Meal Scheme for intermediate students in Government Colleges.
On behalf of Uttrarandhra Charcha Vedika, Mr Ramakrishna on Thursday wrote a letter to the chairman, State Human Rights Commission against the AP government’s decision to stop the Midday Meal Scheme for the students in government college.
Over two lakh students, majority of them belonging to BC/SC/ST and Minority communities have been suffering due to lack of lunch. The Midday Meal Scheme was begun in Government Junior Colleges in the state from August 1, 2018. The serving of lunch was stopped three days ago, without notice.
Several students have been attending the colleges from remote areas and it is not possible for them to go home for lunch and come back again to the classes.
The government extended the Amma Vodi Scheme to the college students also, but scrapping the Midday Meal Scheme in the colleges is strange, Mr Ramakrishna pointed out.
Meanwhile, Intermediate girl students staged a protest in front of the district collectorate in Guntur on Thursday, demanding the government continue the midday meal system for junior college students.
The protesters, under the aegis of the SFI, aired slogans demanding continuation of the scheme that was recently withdrawn by the state government.
SFI state vice-president V. Bhagavan Das demanded immediate resumption of the scheme in junior colleges.
“As many as 5,000 students from 23 government junior colleges in Guntur district alone will suffer due to scrapping of the midday meal scheme,” Mr Das said.
SFI Guntur district secretary P. Manoj Kumar alleged that SC, ST and BC students will not in a position to continue studies if the government cancels the scheme.
