Beed: Rural Schools Struggle As LPG Shortage Hits Mid-Day Meals

Beed: The implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme in Maharashtra has been severely affected by an acute shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, forcing several rural schools to prepare mid-day meals on traditional firewood stoves.

At the Zilla Parishad Primary School in Mulukwadi, located about 22 km from Beed on the Manjarsumba–Patoda Road, the kitchen has been without an LPG cylinder for the past four months. As a result, rice and other meals for students are being cooked on wood-fired stoves, posing serious challenges for the cooking staff, particularly during the ongoing monsoon.

Ashwini Dhas, a school meal cook, said the situation has become increasingly difficult due to damp firewood, excessive smoke, and the lack of an alternative fuel source.

"The school's LPG supply has been exhausted for the past four months. We have no option but to cook on firewood. During the monsoon, wet wood and thick smoke make cooking extremely difficult," she said.

The shortage has also raised concerns over the financial viability of the Pradhan Mantri Poshan programme. Sandeep Dhas, Chairman of the School Management Committee, said government assistance for school meals is already inadequate, while the rising cost of LPG cylinders has further aggravated the problem.

"The financial allocation for school nutrition is already insufficient. If an LPG cylinder costs around ₹3,100, it becomes extremely difficult for schools to sustain the programme," he said.

Social activist Dr Ganesh Dhawale said the school nutrition programme is a crucial source of daily nourishment for children in rural areas and urged the government to ensure an uninterrupted supply of LPG cylinders to schools without delay.