Bolangir: Thousands of students in Puintala block and those under Bolangir civic body limits returned home hungry after the newly appointed agency failed to prepare midday meals and in time Monday.
The incident comes a day after Bolangir MP Kalikesh Narayan Singhdeo inaugurated the midday meal distribution programme and handed it over to a private agency at Bileisarda in Puintala block Sunday.
The private agency, Krishna Krupa Trust, bagged the contract for preparation of the meals and supply them to schools in Puintala block and Bolangir municipality limits.
The students’ long wait to get food was in vain as they had to return home disappointed after 4 pm without food. The development sparked resentment among students, guardians and the school authorities.
The DEO had issued orders to schools that midday meals will no longer be prepared in schools of Puintala block and Bolangir municipality limits, and that cooked food will be supplied to them by the agency from Monday.
This had gladdened the school’s authorities as they no longer had to prepare midday meals. However, the programme has been hit by snags on the first day itself.
Students in some of the schools had to satisfy themselves with biscuits provided by teachers while others had to return home hungry.
When contacted, District Education Officer Subodh Das said a show-cause notice has been issued to the trust for its failure to supply MDM to the schools.
PNN