TDP promises free mid-day meal scheme

If the Congress promises free power the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) wants to give free mid-day meals for school children and hand that over to women's self help groups (SHGs) probably with an eye on the elections.

After discussing it on Thursday, the TDP decided to involve SHGs in the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme for children studying in primary and upper primary classes.

The Rs2,000 million programme covering 7.5 million schoolgoing children was also sanctioned by the Cabinet on Thursday.

Children from classes one to seven in all government and aided schools across the state will be covered by the scheme expected to be launched on November 1, AP Formation Day.

All SHGs will benefit from the government's decision. The TDP returned to power in the last Assembly elections with some help from the SHGs who, influenced by another heavily subsidised programme – providing LPG gas connections – called Deepam, voted overwhelmingly for the TDP.

The TDP wants to link the mid-day meal with Deepam as women now have gas connections and let the SHGs cook and serve the meals to the millions of pupils.

"They have the gas. Now, they will have to buy the raw material and cook the meals. And therefore they become the best choice to implement the mid-day meals scheme," party seniors decided at the meeting chaired by the party president and Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

The TDP also said the huge turnout of SHG volunteers at his weekly meetings in districts has pleased Naidu enough to give them another chance at earning an income and bring them closer to the party.