Midday meal quality: Sonowal orders inquiry

Despite Assam Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya's continuous denial regarding allegations concerning midday meal provided in the government schools of the State, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday directed an inquiry into the allegations.

It may be mentioned here that in the aftermath ofgiving responsibility to NGOs to provide midday meal in schools, a lot ofallegations regarding its quality had been raised across the State. The NGOshad taken over the system of supply of midday meals from November 1.

CM Sonowal directed Principal Secretary of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department Biswaranjan Samal to conduct an inquiry into the allegations and submit the report within one month. He also instructed for keeping earlier arrangements of providing midday meal by school authorities instead of NGOs till the inquiry is complete.