Kerala Seeks Funds Instead of Rice for Mid-Day Meal Program, Proposes Utilizing State-Produced Rice

Kerala has requested special permission from the central government to use locally produced rice for its school mid-day meal program instead of relying on rice supplied from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns. The state seeks over 66,000 tonnes of rice annually for this initiative, which is currently provided at no cost by the central government. Kerala proposes that instead of supplying rice, the central government allocates Rs 184 crore (at Rs 28 per kg) to the state, arguing that this financial support would benefit local paddy cultivators and prevent surplus rice from going to waste.

The state’s rationale behind this request is to redirect the funds spent by the central government on procuring rice from other states towards supporting Kerala’s own rice production. The move aims to aid local farmers and prevent surplus rice, amounting to 4.5 lakh tonnes annually, from perishing. The state government believes that utilizing its own rice stock for the mid-day meal program would be a more sustainable and beneficial approach.

On Tuesday, Kerala’s Civil Supplies Minister, G.R. Anil, is scheduled to meet with his union counterpart to discuss and negotiate the proposal, marking a potential shift in how the mid-day meal program is resourced in the state.