The Maharashtra government has decided to discontinue funding for eggs and sugar for the midday meal scheme in public schools, reported Hindustan Times on Thursday.

Students will be served eggs and sweet dishes like rice-kheer and Nachani Satva (a dish made with ragi flour) only if respective school management committees can raise the funds required through public participation, reported The Indian Express, quoting a government order released on Tuesday.

The midday meal scheme, officially known as the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education, was launched in August 1995 to boost universalisation of primary education, while improving nutrition levels of children.

The scheme simultaneously lays emphasis on providing cooked meals with a minimum of 450 calories, between eight and 12 grams of proteins and adequate quantities of other nutrients.

In November 2023, the Maharashtra government announced that students will be served egg pulav, egg biryani, boiled egg and banana or other local fruit in midday meals to overcome protein deficiency.

However, protests from Hindutva groups led to the policy being modified. Schools, where 40% of parents opposed serving eggs, were instructed not to.

Tuesday’s government order stated that the changes in the meal plan were enforced after representations from multiple stakeholders who had flagged challenges in serving a three-course meal comprising rice, pulses, sprouts, and sweet dishes, reported The Indian Express.

The revised meal plan includes ten dishes that can be prepared using the existing funds allocated for raw materials. The updated menu also features two desserts and egg pulao. However, the government has clarified that it will not allocate funds for this.

“Considering that the central government has instructed to increase public participation in the scheme by holding special lunches, SMCs [school management committees] should try to provide the benefits of these two dishes,” stated the government.

Prior to this, states like Madhya Pradesh and Goa had dropped eggs from the midday meal scheme.