The ongoing West Asia crisis which has disrupted the supply of commercial LPG cylinders will not affect the midday meal programme in government and aided schools for the time being, sources in the School Education Department said.

The State government is supplying domestic LPG cylinders to schools and anganwadi centres for the midday meal programme. Moreover, schools and anganwadi centres will close from April 10 and only open in May–June later this year. “ There is a manageable gas stock till April 10. Due to this, there will be no problem in providing midday meals in schools and Anganwadi centres,” said Varalakshmi, Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

Meanwhile, several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including ISKCON and Adamya Chetana, which are supplying midday meals to thousands of government and aided school children across the State, have been using briquettes instead of commercial gas to prepare food for many years. So, their operations are also unaffected.