Kitchen garden comes handy for midday meals

Students of a school in Siddipet cultivate organic vegetables on their premises

A government school near Siddipet has become self-sufficient in meeting the grocery requirement and at the same time supply nutrient vegetables to students as part of the midday meal programme.

The students of Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School at Nancharpally village in Siddipet (urban) were trained to cultivate vegetables with organic manure in the vegetable garden spread over three guntas on the school premises. The same vegetables serve the 166 children of the school for their lunch at a time when COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the midday meal system in the schools. Some of the midday meal suppliers in the district have reprotedly reduced the vegetable ratio due to various reasons, including higher costs and non-availability.

This had forced the five teachers of the institution to look for other alternatives. They thought of using the available place on the school premises. With the help of panchayat officials they cleaned the premises and started growing vegetables. The village panchayat has been supplying the organic manure needed for the school.