In line with International Year of Millets, the Punjab State Mid-Day Meal Society have proposed to serve millet to students of classes 1 to 8 under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in all government and government-aided schools across the state.
Marking the International year of millets, the society which is a wing of the school education department, said events educating students regarding millet-based food will also be held.
In its order to district education officers of all districts in the state, the body directed officials to ensure mass participation of students by conducting various essay competitions, poem reciting sessions, hackathons and quizzes.
Mid-day-meal is served to over 2 lakh students enrolled in 1,525 government schools and 56 government-aided schools.
The order also added that the millet meals are to be served as part of the mid-day meals on March 18, as a global event will be organised by the department of agriculture and farmers welfare, wherein Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also participate.
It said that in the wake of the United Nations’ announcement to mark 2023 as the “International Year of Millets” the state has been requested to explore the possibilities of inclusion of millet-based food items under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme.
{{/usCountry}}It said that in the wake of the United Nations’ announcement to mark 2023 as the “International Year of Millets” the state has been requested to explore the possibilities of inclusion of millet-based food items under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme.
{{/usCountry}}District education officer Baldev Singh said the directions have been passed on to the block-level education officers to ensure the implementation. Events exhibiting different millets will also be organised to add to the knowledge of the students, their parents will also be invited to this exercise.
He also added that the inclusion of millet items in the mid-day meal will be done by schools at their own level.