The chief minister's egg-stra special effort to curb malnutrition at government schools has fallen flat on its face.

At least 15 primary and middle schools in and around capital Ranchi have been unable to serve eggs on midday plates, depriving 3,000-odd children a wholesome meal thrice a week, because they have not received promised funds ever since Raghubar Das re-launched Anda Abhiyan with much fanfare in March.

According to a May 5 report compiled by the state chapter of Right to Food Campaign, a network of professionals who mounted pressure for better nutrition at state-run schools under a 2014 Anda Abhiyan programme, only the model government middle school in Jagannathpur is dishing out eggs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

At all the other cradles - such as Latma government middle school, Yogada Satsang Madhya Vidyalaya (Jagannathpur), Hatia government middle school, Morabadi upper primary school, Karamtoli middle school and Hindi middle school in Tharpakhna - members of the Right to Food Campaign found that funds had not been transferred to school savings accounts since April.

According to provisions under the midday meal scheme, funds must be transferred directly to accounts of schools once released by the state HRD department. The responsibility of transfer lies with either the education officer (DEO) or the superintendent of education (DSE) of every district.

" Par humlog to intezaar hi karte rah gaye, anda bachon ko abhi tak nahi mila (Rules notwithstanding, we are still waiting for funds transfer. We have not been able to serve eggs in midday meals thrice a week)," Emelda Toppo, principal of government middle school, Tharpakhna, said. She added that she had already spent Rs 5,000 from her own pocket to buy eggs for the school's 200 children.

Balram, Jharkhand's adviser to Supreme Court who has been appointed commissioner for right to food, conceded that blocked flow of midday meal funds was indeed a matter of serious concern. "The HRD department, I know, has released funds for procurement of eggs; the problem seems to have occurred at the district level. Once schools reopen after summer vacation, we will track the funds transfer glitches and remove them," he said.

State HRD secretary Aradhana Patnaik too said that her department had released egg funds. "But, Ranchi DSE Jayant Mishra mentioned some problem in school accounts because of which money was not transferred. We will send him a reminder to resolve the matter and transfer funds," she added.

DSE Mishra echoed Patnaik. "We have been unable to transfer funds owing to problems in accounts. I will resolve the problems and ensure that children get eggs thrice a week very soon," he said without elaborating what the glitches were.

Will state-run schools ever be able to supplement nutrition? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com