Midday Meal Row: Sonowal Orders Probe

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered a probe into the allegation of poor quality midday meals that are being served by the NGOs in the state.

The midday meal workers have staged protests across the stateagainst the government's decision of handing over the contract to the NGOs toserve the midday meals in the schools.

Sonowal asked the Principal Secretary of the food and civilsupplies department, BR Shyamal to carry out the probe and submit his reportwithin one month.

The chief minister also said that the school must carry on the previous system of serving midday meals in the schools until and unless the probe is over.

Sonowal has ordered the probe following the protests across thestate by the workers alleging that the NGOs are serving poor quality food inthe schools.

Moreover, 23 students in Lakhimpur have also fallen ill after they consumed the midday meals served by the NGOs.  

The state had also witnessed a series of protests after the Central government decided to engage some NGOs and private kitchens in serving the midday meal to the children in government schools.

The engagement of the NGOs and private kitchens have almostturned 1.17 lakh cooks and helpers in the schools jobless instantly, leading toprotests in different parts of the state.

It has also been alleged by the cooks that some NGOs which has been offered the contract are blacklisted in other states.