Change of menu in ICDS meals

KOLKATA: A change of menu may offer relief from the tedium in Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) homes, but that is costing an additional Rs 13 crore to the government coffers.
The state government is bearing Rs 10 crore of this, and the rest should come from the Centre, said an official. While that is not huge in terms of percentage increase of funds - considering that annual bill for lunch in the ICDS homes comes to Rs 900 crore, there are still questions being raised on whether this change was essential.The state women and child welfare departments have decided to change the menu of ICDS homes.
A meeting was taken by chief minister Mamata Banerjee with the two ministers Sabitri Mitra and Shyama Pada Mukherjee, where the CM had suggested a change of menu. The menu has long been khichdi and half an egg in the 1.12 lakh odd ICDS centres - which are like day centres.
The lunch is provided to 66 lakh children and over 14 lakh pregnant and lactating women in these centres. Now the menu has been changed to egg curry and rice thrice a week and rice, daal and vegetable curry for the rest of the week. There can also be khichdi instead of the vegetarian meals. An order was issued by the state government on this a couple of days ago. This will lead to the increase in cost for purchase of utensils and the additional change of menu, said an official on Tuesday.