Bangalore: Karnataka has been running its massive mid-day meal scheme for school children more "efficiently" than other states and its unit cost per child under the programme was also high, according to a recent report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

The CMIE in its monthly review of Karnataka's Economy for the month of August has appreciated Karnataka's efforts in running the mid-day meal scheme "more efficiently and equitably" than other states.

It noted Karnataka's relatively high unit costs of Rs 1.31 per child per day reflected both comparatively nutritious meals and enhanced staff norms compared to Chhattisgarh, which spends only 50 paise and Rajasthan 75 paise per child.

Based on a survey of 27 sample schools in Bellary, Gulbarga and Raichur, the three districts in backward North Karnataka region, the study said that Karnataka provided the most varied and nutritious menu.

CMIE observed that Karnataka was the only state, which provides health supplements like iron and de- worming tablets, vitamin supplements and other basic micronutrients with a budgetary expenditure of Rs 12 per child per annum.

The report hailed Karnataka for using mid-day meals as a tool to erode social inequalities.

"Though there are pockets of upper caste resistance to school meals cooked by dalits in South Karnataka, the situation might be different in the north, where the survey was conducted," it noted.

PTI