Schools across the country will soon get a special grant from the Centre to develop “nutrition gardens” on their campuses where students would not only grow fruits and vegetables but also savour them in their mid-day meal, said a senior government official familiar with the matter.
The plan, chalked out by the human resource development ministry, is aimed at addressing the problem of malnutrition while also giving children a first-hand experience of connecting with nature and gardening, something which may keep them away from junk food, the official said.
There are around 11 lakh schools which provide mid-day meal, a programme designed by the government to better the nutritional standing of schoolchildren across the country.
Schools will be asked to upload pictures of the gardens as well as the work done on the mid-day meal portal.
The fund provided by the Centre could be used by the schools for the purchase of seeds, equipment, compost among others.
Read more of this in a report by Amandeep Shukla published in Hindustan Times...