Karnataka govt rules out ‘sattvic’ diet for school children

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: School Education and Literacy Minister B C Nagesh has clarified that the government has no proposal to introduce ‘sattvic’ diet in schools as evidence pointed to significant improvement in children growth with eggs in midday meal.

Nagesh in the legislative council on Monday said that after finding evidence of significant improvement in the growth of children after the introduction of eggs in midday meals, the government has been providing eggs 46 days of a year across all districts. He, however, clarified that no student had been forced to take eggs. The minister said that if required, the government would consider extending it beyond 46 days.

“The students are not forced to consume eggs. The vegetarians can choose between bananas and chikkis,” he said. The matter was discussed after JD(S) member K A Thippeswamy wanted to know about the government’s stand on ‘sattvic’ food.

Nagesh said that the views on sattvic diet were expressed by various individuals who were present at a roundtable meeting held to discuss the introduction of moral education in schools. But it was not the stand of the government, he said.

The minister further added that regardless of the opposition's staunch stand the government began to provide eggs in areas which reported increasing cases of malnutrition among children. He also said that in order to enhance the nutrition intake of children, the government had sanctioned Rs 39.86 crore for 14.44 lakh children in 2021-22 and Rs 126.75 crore for 45.92 lakh children in 2022-23.

The leader of opposition, B K Hariprasad, said that matters of caste, religion and food have turned political. He noted that several schools were accused of not providing eggs to their children. “Not giving nonvegetarian students eggs is depriving them of their rights. Please make sure this does not happen,” he said.