Chandigarh, January 9: Children studying in government schools across Punjab will soon receive organic vegetables and fruits as part of their mid-day meals, with the state government announcing the creation of ‘Nutritious Gardens’ in 5,073 schools.
The initiative, approved under the guidelines of the Punjab State Food Commission, aims to address malnutrition among schoolchildren by ensuring a regular supply of fresh, pesticide-free produce grown within school premises.
“The focus is on providing healthy, safe and nutritious food to children while making optimum use of available resources,” a senior government official said.
Vacant and surplus land in government schools will be converted into vegetable, fruit and herbal gardens through coordination between the Agriculture, Horticulture and Education departments. Officials said the produce grown will be directly used in preparing mid-day meals.
The project will also extend to 1,100 Anganwadi centres across the state, targeting early childhood nutrition.
In districts such as Amritsar, where several schools have three to four acres of unused land, the gardens will serve a dual purpose—improving dietary intake and introducing students to modern farming practices and crop diversity.
“The idea is to instil healthy eating habits early, with emphasis on nutrition rather than taste alone,” the official said.
The government said teachers will receive specialised training to oversee the gardens, adding that the initiative reflects the administration’s focus on linking education, health and sustainable development.
