)
In a major achievement, Punjab has bagged the second position in implementing the Mid-Day Meal scheme across the country.
Punjab's Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka said that under the scheme, about two million students were covered during the current financial year, which include 13,723 primary schools and 6,656 upper-primary schools of the state.
He said that the government had allocated Rs 275.81 crore under the Mid-Day Meal scheme for cooking cost, food grain and honorarium to cook-cum-helper and management.
About Rs 8.60 crore was provided for utensils in all government and government-aided schools of the state.
The education minister also said the scheme was being implemented efficiently in schools and students were being provided with a balanced diet in all the primary and upper primary schools.
