Rising egg prices strain Karnataka’s mid-day meal scheme, teachers bear the brunt

The widening gap between rising egg prices in the market and the Karnataka government’s outdated subsidy rates has emerged as a major hurdle for the mid-day meal scheme in schools across the state.

Across the state, teachers caught in this bind are reportedly paying out of their own pockets to ensure that children receive eggs, highlighting the strain caused by the situation.

Also Read: West Bengal Central team starts ‘routine’ midday meal scheme review in West Bengal

Earlier limited to two days a week, the scheme has now been expanded to six days a week in collaboration with the Azim Premji Foundation, an initiative seen as a historic step.

However, the mismatch between current market prices and the government’s fixed subsidy has become a serious obstacle, threatening the success of this ambitious programme.

Tackling malnutrition

Eggs are being provided to students from Classes 1 to 10 in government and aided schools across the state. Children who do not consume eggs are given bananas or peanut chikki instead.

The primary objective of the scheme is to address protein and vitamin deficiencies among children. However, for any welfare programme to succeed, its financial planning must reflect ground realities.

At present, the government’s subsidy of Rs 6 per egg is grossly inadequate given prevailing market conditions.

Officials point out that the Rs 6 subsidy is expected to cover not only the cost of the egg but also fuel for cooking (gas or firewood), labour involved in handling and boiling the eggs, and peeling costs.

Insufficient subsidy

In reality, the wholesale price of an egg in the market has already crossed Rs 7, while retail prices exceed Rs 8. At the same time, LPG cylinder prices have soared.

When even the cost of purchasing an egg cannot be met within the Rs 6 allocation, teachers responsible for the mid-day meal programme are questioning how fuel expenses can possibly be managed.

For instance, in a school with 100 students, the government provides Rs 600 per day for egg distribution. However, teachers are forced to spend around Rs 750 to procure eggs, resulting in a shortfall of Rs 150 each time.

This translates to an additional burden of Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per month, borne directly by teachers from their salaries.

Also Read: Karnataka | Millets to be used in Indira Canteens, midday meals: Siddaramaiah

For lakhs of students studying in government schools in Karnataka, the combination of the mid-day meal and egg distribution is not merely about food, it forms an integral part of their right to education, as well as their physical and mental development.

'Model initiative' under strain

The ‘egg scheme’, introduced to combat malnutrition and anaemia and to attract children from economically weaker backgrounds to government schools, has been widely recognised as a model initiative.

However, teachers say they cannot discontinue the programme due to financial stress. Telling children that there are no eggs on a given day would hurt their morale. As a result, teachers are compelled to absorb the losses themselves.

Teachers are reportedly paying an additional Rs 1.50 to Rs 2 per egg from their own pockets, amounting to thousands of rupees by the end of each month.

In some schools, teachers have been forced to seek help from village leaders or donors, a situation they say undermines their dignity.

Sources also warn that attempts to source cheaper eggs could result in smaller-sized or stale eggs being supplied.

Teachers burdened

Teachers say the issue is not limited to egg prices alone. Cooking eggs six days a week significantly increases gas consumption, and the existing allocation is insufficient to procure additional LPG cylinders.

In rural areas, transportation costs incurred while sourcing eggs from markets further add to the burden. If teachers try to cut costs by purchasing cheaper or smaller eggs, they face questions from School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) and parents.

With children’s health at stake, compromise is not an option. Caught between financial constraints and quality expectations, teachers say they are losing peace of mind. Instead of focusing on teaching, they are forced to negotiate egg prices and track market fluctuations.

Also Read: Joint team to examine Kerala's 'highly improbable' midday meal claim: Centre

Seasonal variations and festive demand cause egg prices to rise periodically, yet the government subsidy remains fixed at Rs 6 throughout the year. This unscientific approach, teachers argue, makes financial losses inevitable.

Delay in fund release

Delays in the release of funds in some schools have further forced teachers to borrow money to keep the scheme running.

Although the Azim Premji Foundation has contributed Rs 1,500 crore to support the expanded egg scheme, teachers allege that procurement lapses have prevented the funds from being effectively utilised for direct egg supply.

When agencies fail to deliver eggs on time, teachers resort to purchasing them on credit to ensure children are not deprived. This, they say, is negatively affecting the educational environment.

With the scheme now expanded from two to six days a week using the foundation’s funding, the pressure on both the dairy sector and the education system has increased significantly.

While the intent of the programme remains commendable, market volatility and supply-chain failures have pushed teachers into financial distress.

Suggested remedies

To prevent the failure of this ambitious initiative, teachers and experts say the government must act immediately. The per-egg subsidy should be revised from Rs 6 to at least Rs 8.50-Rs 9 in line with current market rates.

The government should directly supply eggs to schools for all six days through tenders or the poultry board, relieving teachers of procurement responsibility. Separate funds should be allocated to cover fuel costs from the mid-day meal budget.

Given that egg prices fluctuate, a ‘dynamic pricing’ mechanism should be introduced, with district-level committees reviewing market prices monthly and adjusting subsidies accordingly.

Transportation costs should be reimbursed based on school location, and procurement and financial responsibilities should rest with government agencies rather than teachers. There is also a demand to increase honorariums for mid-day meal cooks.

Welfare schemes falter

Public health physician and child rights activist Dr Sylvia Karpagam told The Federal Karnataka that while the state government deserves credit for implementing the egg distribution scheme, sustaining it successfully is equally important.

Also Read: MP school gets steel plates after video shows children eating on newspapers

She said inadequate budgetary allocation has placed an unfair burden on teachers. Despite rising egg prices, the subsidy has not been revised, forcing teachers to pay from their own pockets.

Unless the government increases funding, she warned, even well-intentioned welfare schemes could falter.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)