The soaring prices of essential commodities, particularly dal, edible oil and vegetables coupled with the rising transportation costs have cast a shadow on the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal scheme in Orissa.
The Mid-Day Meal scheme feeds over 50 lakh students in the state. Wholesalers supplying dal for implementation of the scheme have threatened to stop the supply unless the government revises the price.
The wholesalers had made an agreement with the government in 2007 to supply the dal when its whole sale price was Rs 36 per kg.
As the price of dal has doubled, there is a need for upward revision in price, said the wholesalers.
Sashi Bhusan Padhy, additional district magistrate of Ganjam admitted that the dal suppliers have warned not to supply the commodity if the price was not revised.