New Delhi: Noting reports that the usual preparation of mid-day meals in many parts of India has been or stands to be affected by the ongoing LPG supply disruption, the Right to Food Campaign has urged that the gas be supplied for the scheme on priority and in a more co-ordinated manner.For millions of children, especially those from economically vulnerable households, the mid-day meal provided at school is their most nutritious one of the day, the Campaign recalled in a statement published Tuesday (March 17), adding that any disruption in the initiative would also affect young students’ attendance and learning outcomes.News reports indicate that schools are grappling with the possibility of running out of LPG, or are having trouble booking cylinders or refills, or have made changes to their menu, or have switched from the gas to using firewood in order to ensure that children receive their mid-day meals.“Such disruptions pose a serious threat to the continuity and quality of the programme,” the Campaign said. “Any interruption in the preparation of meals not only undermines children’s nutrition but also affects school attendance, learning outcomes and the overall well-being of children from marginalised communities.”Making sure that there are no disruptions in cooking arrangements for the mid-day meal scheme (which is officially called the PM-Poshan scheme) is essential not only to secure children’s right to food but of their right to education, the Campaign said.It lauded the Maharashtra government’s decision to ask LPG companies that supply be prioritised to self-help groups and kitchens serving the mid-day meal scheme.“However, the emerging reports from different states suggest that a more coordinated and systematic response is required across the country,” said the Campaign, demanding that the government prioritise LPG allocation to kitchens providing for the mid-day meal and Integrated Child Development Services schemes, direct distributors to see that schools and anganwadis receive supplies and refills on time, create gas buffers, monitor the situation closely and take steps to prevent black-marketing and diversion.“The government must treat LPG supply to these programmes as an essential public service and act urgently to prevent any disruption. The Right to Food Campaign stands in solidarity with cooks, helpers, teachers and community organisations who are striving to keep the programme running despite these difficulties. We call upon the authorities to take swift corrective measures so that no child is deprived of their rightful meal,” it wrote.The Campaign is an informal collective of organisations and individuals aiming for a realisation of the right to food in India.Indian LPG imports are heavily reliant on the Strait of Hormuz that Iran is now blocking in retaliation to the US-Israeli strikes on it. The government has prioritised the supply of the fuel to domestic consumers in a decision that has affected supplies of the gas to commercial customers such as eateries.