Punjab school meal programme helps reduce malnutrition

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s ‘School meal program’ has helped reduce malnutrition among students. In its first phase, the program saved Rs1.780 billion while impacting the health and well-being of thousands of children.

The program has also witnessed remarkable success in boosting school enrolment. Within months of its initiation, over 55,000 new students enrolled in schools, demonstrating the program’s positive effect on student attendance and engagement. In addition, the initiative provided 40 million milk packs to schools in Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan, benefiting more than 35 million students in these districts.

Student attendance has risen significantly since the program’s inception, with the number of students increasing from 361,000 to 416,000. The chief minister has directed that the ‘School meal program’ be extended to more remote districts in south Punjab.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the successful culmination of the ‘Jaffar Express Operation’ and paid tribute to the security forces involved in the operation. She also honoured the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the operation, highlighting their courage and commitment to the nation’s security.

She condemned the terrorists who used innocent passengers, including women and children, as human shields, describing such actions as a cowardly act and asserted, “The terrorists consigned to hell have become symbols of disgrace.”