Andhra Pradesh replaces peanut chikki with millet variant in mid-day meals for better nutrition

The Andhra Pradesh government has replaced the traditional peanut 'chikki' served in government schools under the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme with a new peanut millet jaggery 'chikki'. This millet-based alternative is intended to improve the nutritional intake of students.

The initiative aims to enhance children's nutrition, support healthy growth, strengthen immunity, and improve concentration in classrooms. The new 'chikki' combines peanuts, blended millets (ragi, jowar, and bajra), and jaggery syrup, offering higher dietary fibre and calcium content while maintaining the protein and energy benefits of peanuts.

The existing distribution schedule remains unchanged: students will receive the millet 'chikki' three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To ensure timely delivery, the state has been divided into six supply packages covering all districts.

B. Srinivasa Rao, Director of the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme, described the change as a significant step in school nutrition. He stated, 'The introduction of peanut millet jaggery chikki under the scheme marks a significant step in school nutrition, as the millet-enriched version naturally improves children’s intake of calcium, iron, protein, and dietary fibre.'

Rao added that to ensure transparency and quality, the supply has been mandated only through reputed branded manufacturers. Multi-layer protective packaging has been introduced, and barcode-based monitoring on every individual packet and transport carton is being implemented.

By integrating traditional millets with a popular school snack and backing it with quality standards, Rao said the state has taken a significant step towards strengthening school nutrition and setting a benchmark for similar programmes across the country.