Cap on LPG subsidy to hit mid-day meal

Union government’s decision to put a cap on subsidised cylinders would increase the state government’s budget allotted for mid-day meal scheme, said Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri.

 The minister told reporters here on Thursday that LPG cylinders are used to cook food for the mid-day meal scheme.

 “We are feeding over 70 lakh students every day. If the restriction — six cylinders per annum — is implemented, then the state government has to spend more on buying cylinders at market rate,” Kageri said.

To a question, Kageri said that the department was collecting data on the number of cylinders it needed.

 “After compiling the data, the state government would write to the Centre either to seek compensation for the extra financial burden or to provide cylinders at subsidised rates,” he added.

 Kageri also demanded that the Centre should reimburse the amount paid by the state government to the private education institutions as fees for the free seats given by them as per the Right to Education Act.

 While implementing the Act, the Centre had said that it would reimburse the fees, but so far it had not done so, Kageri said. This year the state government had to bear an extra burden of around Rs 50 crore and it is expected to go up in the coming years, Kageri said.