Kottayam: The General Education Department’s directive to make the revised mid-day meal menu mandatory from September 1 is facing delays. Meanwhile, the inauguration of the new Anganwadi menu, featuring items from Nutri Laddu to Egg Biryani, will be held on Tuesday. Even with the launch, full implementation of the new menu in Anganwadis will be delayed.

Although the minister announced the decision to revise the menu considering the preferences and health of schoolchildren at the start of the academic year, there is still little clarity in many places. Inconsistencies ranging from funding to preparing the dishes have prevented implementation in several schools, even after reopening following the Onam break.

While fried rice, lemon rice and vegetable biryani have already been introduced on a trial basis in some districts, most schools continue with the old menu. The new menu has yet to be uploaded on the department’s website, allowing teachers to continue submitting information as before, a relief for many. Although the cooking staff were trained during the holidays to prepare new dishes, some teachers have expressed concern about how practical the changes will be.

Under the new plan, one of the following dishes must be prepared once a week using the fortified rice currently available in schools: vegetable fried rice, lemon rice, vegetable biryani, tomato rice or coconut rice. These should be served with vegetable curry or kuruma. On other days, rice should continue to be served with curry and thoran. Chicken should also be served if possible. The department has also suggested presenting the menu to a parents’ committee to check whether it is being implemented.

If the revision is aimed at preventing anaemia and obesity in children, it should be asked whether fried rice and lemon rice can achieve this, said Kerala Government Primary School Headmasters Association general secretary ETK Ismail.

At present, the central and state contributions to the school mid-day meal scheme amount to Rs 6.78 and Rs 10.17 per child in the pre-primary, primary and upper primary categories, respectively. The government provides free rice and the salary of the cook. But if state funds are not enough to cover other costs, teachers say, a school with 100 students will have to spend at least Rs 8,000 a month to meet the requirements of the new menu.