Hyderabad: Nearly eight months after Telangana introduced a common nutrition menu for government residential schools and hostels in December 2024, the initiative appears to be faltering due to severe funding delays and logistical neglect. The plan, aimed at ensuring uniform and nutritious meals across all welfare hostels, has seen inconsistent implementation owing to pending payments to self-help groups (SHGs) that run hostel kitchens.According to officials from the social welfare and tribal welfare departments, SHGs in multiple districts have not received payments for 4-6 months. This has forced many kitchen workers to reduce portion sizes, compromise on nutrition, or skip certain meals altogether. The situation has worsened in smaller mandals, where cooks are left to manage feeding hundreds of children without timely reimbursement or support.“We haven’t been paid since March. But the children can’t go hungry,” said Ramulamma, a mid-day meal worker from Wanaparthy district. “Many of us are pooling in our own rice and dal from personal rations to keep breakfast going.”The common diet menu, finalised by the government after consultations with nutritionists, was intended to standardise meals across SC, ST, BC, minority, and social welfare hostels. It included weekly rotations of rice, dal, vegetables, eggs, milk, and breakfast items like upma, poha, and pesarattu. But implementation on the ground has been uneven.However, students say they are served watery curry, poorly washed rice, or the same meal multiple times a day.A 2024 inspection report by the BC welfare department found that only around 60 per cent of hostels were following the prescribed menu. “We’re expected to serve three meals a day, sometimes even early breakfasts for competitive exam students — but with no raw materials or funds in hand,” said Aruna, an SHG kitchen in-charge from Adilabad. “The children fall sick, and we get blamed.”Officials have earlier admitted that budgeting bottlenecks and administrative delays have slowed the flow of funds. They claim that newer monitoring systems are being introduced. However, no clear timelines have been provided for payment clearance or kitchen staff support.Telangana Common Diet MenuLaunched: December 6, 2024Payment Delays: 4-6 monthsMenu Compliance: Only 60-65% hostelsStudents Affected in 1 year: 1,000+Deaths in 1 year: Nearly 50Meals expected: Three times a day, and breakfastDiet items: Rice, dal, vegetables, eggs, milk, upma, poha, pesarattu
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