Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered a probe into the allegation of poor quality midday meal served to the schools in different parts of the state by some NGOs, which has also led to protests across the state.
The chief minister has asked principal secretary of the food and civil supplies department, BR Shymal to carry out the probe and submit his report within one month.
Sonowal said that during the time the probe is on, the school must carry on the previous system of serving midday meal to the children.
Assam had witnessed series of protests after the Central government decided to engage some NGOs and private kitchens in serving the midday meal to the children in government schools.
Protests broke out in different areas as there were reports of these NGOs and private kitchens serving poor quality and stale food in the midday meal to some of the schools.
There are also reports that many of children of different schools in Assam have been going home hungry after locals protested to NGOs and private kitchens serving low quality foods to the children.
The engagement of the NGOs and private kitchens have almost turned 1.17 lakh cooks and helpers in the schools jobless instantly, leading to protests in different parts of the state.