Centre hikes mid-day meal per "child cooking cost by 9.6%

• The cooking cost per child under mid-day meal scheme is set to rise by 9.6 %.
• Centre approved the hike proposed by a committee that recommended inter-ministerial deliberations on linking the no. of LPG cylinders per school to enrolment.

Impact of the decision

• Likely to come into effect from October.
• Comes at a time school authorities and food rights activists across the country have been demanding more funds to run the scheme, citing an increase in the prices of vegetables, pulses and cooking gas.
• Mid day meal has 11.8 crore student beneficiaries.