Stop giving sugary items in school midday meals, paediatric group urges Maharashtra govt

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A group of paediatrics has written to the Maharashtra government urging it to stop giving sugary food items in school midday meals.

The Maha Academy of Paediatrics. in its letter to state school education minister Deepak Kesarkar, said such food items could result in children becoming diabetic and obese.

The letter cited the government's GR on serving rice pudding to children four times a week under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana (formerly known as midday meal scheme).

"The GR mentions that 25 grams of sugar be added to the meals of students from Class I to V and 45 grams for students from Class VI to VIII," the letter said.

"We need 25 grams of sugar per day. There are two types of sugar. One is added and the other is naturally present in food items. The students keep eating other food items throughout the day, which increases their sugar intake," Maha Paediatrics Association president Dr Ramgopal Chejara told PTI.

"Adding 25 grams and 45 grams of sugar in these meals could make the children diabetic and obese. Our teams have visited schools. We have appealed to the government to stop giving such sugary food items," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve too criticised the state government over this GR.

The state government thinks the future generation is a factory to digest excess sugar, he said in a post on X.

The Union government is imposing restrictions on ethanol production, while at the same time excess sugar is being given to schoolchildren, said Danve, who is Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.