Dhanbad: The mid-day meal scheme in several govt schools across Dhanbad district has come under strain due to an acute shortage of rice, raising concerns among students and school authorities alike. While the programme was earlier disrupted due to a shortage of LPG cylinders, the situation has now worsened with insufficient supply of essential food grains.According to sources, many schools have been unable to serve regular meals to students over the past few days. In the absence of rice, schools have resorted to providing alternatives such as eggs and biscuits to ensure that children do not go completely without nutrition. However, school authorities warn that this is only a temporary arrangement.“If rice is not allocated soon, the mid-day meal programme may come to a halt in several schools,” said a school official on condition of anonymity. Most headmasters and school management personnel have refrained from speaking openly on the issue, citing administrative constraints.They attributed the crisis to delays in rice allocation, which has disrupted the supply chain to schools. Authorities said they are in constant touch with their Block Resource Persons (BRPs) to resolve the issue at the earliest.When contacted, district education officer (DEO) Abhishek Jha said that temporary disruptions in supply may occur but no reports of complete suspension of the mid-day meal scheme have been received so far.He added that a rational distribution system is in place, under which rice can be diverted from schools with surplus stock to those facing shortages. “Schools experiencing a shortage should immediately coordinate with their BRPs to ensure uninterrupted implementation of the scheme,” the DEO said.Meanwhile, concerns remain as delays continue, potentially impacting the nutrition and attendance of students dependent on the programme.
