Option of serving eggs to students at anganwadi open: Madhya Pradesh minister

Bhopal: Even as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has struck down a move to serve eggs in anganwadi centres, his cabinet colleague Kusum Mehdale on Wednesday said there was no harm in making eggs a part of students' diet provided their production goes up and if parents wish so.

"The production of eggs is not enough in the state. If it goes up, we will keep an option of serving eggs to students if their parents desire so," Mehdale, state Fisheries and Cottage Industries Minister, told reporters at a press conference in Bhopal.

Earlier, the minister had also urged people to add fish to their children's diet.

Asked whether she was promoting consumption of fish and eggs while Chouhan was opposed to it, the minister maintained that both of them were right on the issue.

"The question is whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. If you are a vegetarian, drink milk and if you are non-vegetarian eat eggs as per your wish... eat fish ...Nobody should feel offended by it," Mehdale said.

"There is no clash between Chouhan and me. He is correct, so am I. Those who are non-vegetarian take eggs, fish...If there is a problem, don't eat...If you are a vegetarian drink milk, eat kheer (Indian sweet dish containing milk and rice) and fruits," she said.

On May 30, Chouhan, who is a vegetarian, had said, "Not eggs, but milk will be made available to children and pregnant women at anganwadi centres."

His assurance came after a Jain community delegation met him and asked him to keep eggs off the anganwadi meal menu. However, three days later Mehdale urged people to add fish to their children's diet.

"Fish is a good source of protein and it can overcome malnutrition in areas, where fish is available in abundance," she had said while addressing a state-level conference of fishermen in Jabalpur.

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to serve flavoured milk to 29 lakh children at 92,000 anganwadis in the state from July 1. The milk will be distributed to children three times a week - on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.