Contractors in Tamil Nadu reportedly purchased 200 million eggs at reduced prices in March for use in the midday meal program throughout the year, according to BJP leader K Annamalai. The claim comes amid prior incidents of spoiled eggs served in schools and targets the current state administration.
In a social media statement, Annamalai highlighted that contractors bought the eggs when prices fell to Rs 3.70 each and stored them in cold facilities for later distribution to schools. The state government maintains a fixed rate of Rs 5.63 per egg for the scheme.
Egg prices declined in March due to reduced demand linked to supply issues from the Middle East conflict. Annamalai noted that contractors appeared to have planned bulk purchases at lower costs for year-long supply to students.
He described the situation as a health concern for numerous schoolchildren rather than a simple procurement matter. Eggs typically remain suitable for up to five weeks under proper storage, raising questions about quality after extended cold storage and transport to distant schools.
Annamalai stressed that food safety for children must not be compromised. The midday meal program serves about 40.82 lakh students daily across roughly 43,000 institutions in the state, including 19.37 lakh in primary schools and 21.45 lakh in upper primary and high schools.
