“Children can be mentally strong and good in their studies only when they do not suffer from nutritional deficiency. All children must get quality food and education. Like the children of the rich, the children of the poor, labourers, Dalits and shudra communities too should get good education,” said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on February 22 at the inauguration of Sai Sure Ragi Health Mix distribution programme for children.
The ragi health mix will be distributed to all government and aided schools in Karnataka from this academic year, as part of the mid-day meal. The millet malt is expected to benefit the mental and physical health of 55 lakh children in government schools.
The Chief Minister stressed on the need for education that inculcates rationalism that responds to the problems of society. “Even highly educated doctors and engineers have now fallen prey to superstition. Basavanna and other sharanas worked hard to build a superstition-less society. It is possible to build a society without superstitions only through intellectual education,” he said.
While explaining how Ksheera Bhagya scheme, which provides milk to school children five days a week, was introduced in 2013 with the aim of helping farmers who supplied milk to Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), Mr. Siddaramaiah added that a programme to supply eggs to school children twice a week was announced in the previous budget to meet the nutritional needs of children.
