Telangana CM Rao announces mid-day meal scheme for govt junior, degree college students

Students of government junior and degree colleges in Telangana will be served mid-day meal from this academic year in an effort to provide nutritious food and reduce the dropout rate, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said on Friday.

"Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao announced that from this academic year, mid-day meal would be served to the students of government junior and degree colleges in the State," an official release said.

It was decided to provide nutritious mid-day meal to the students for their good health and to prevent them from dropping out, Rao said. The chief minister came to know from former minister C Laxma Reddy and government college lecturer Raghuram from Jedcherla, about 80 kms from Hyderabad, that they were providing mid-day meals to students of Jedcherla Government Junior College, spending money from their pockets.

Laxma Reddy and Raghuram met Rao to discuss setting up of a botanical garden at Jedcherla Degree College.

The chief minister appreciated both of them, the release said. Rao said the government realised the importance of providing mid-day meal to the students in the colleges, it said.

The chief minister also instructed officials to take Jedcherla Degree College as an inspiration and set up botanical gardens in all government degree colleges in the state, it said. He also appreciated Sadasivaiah, assistant professor in botany department at Jedcherla government degree college, who met him here on Friday, for setting up a Botanical garden in the college.