No hot midday meals in over 500 schools in Vijayapura as dues not paid to LPG distributor

VIJAYAPURA: Scores of schoolchildren in are being denied hot midday meals in the rural parts of Vijayapura taluk, Tikota and Babaleshwar and are having to depend food packed from home for the last one week. Reason: The LPG distributor has not been supplying gas cylinders to the schools over pending dues.

There are 201 government schools in Vijayapura taluk and 490 schools in Tikota-Babaleshwar taluk. But with LPG cylinders not being supplied, hot midday meals is not being provided to schoolchildren in over 500 schools.

The midday meal scheme officials owe Rs 20 lakh to Venkateshwara Gas Agency in Vijayapura since last March towards 2,000 cylinders supplied so far. Due to this, the distributor too has run into financial troubles.

Carelessness of the officials has now resulted in children having to bring their own packed food and the distributor too facing distress, sources said.