File photo of HRD Minister Smriti Irani. (PTI)
There is no proposal for supplying processed food under the midday meal programme, the HRD Ministry today said.
This clarification came in the wake of some media reports that during her meeting with HRD Minister Smriti Irani on August 26, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi had discussed about the supply of processed food under the midday scheme.
"It is clarified that the HRD Minister did not support any proposal for supply of processed food under the midday meal scheme," the ministry said in a statement.
"The Minister, in the meantime, did point out the opportunity to companies for producing nutritious and healthy food for school going children which would be used by working mothers especially in urban areas," it said.
Reports also suggested a spat between the HRD Ministry and the Food Processing Ministry over Harsimrat Kaur Badal's suggestion to Ms Nooyi for development of processed food for the midday meal scheme.
The Food Processing Ministry has denied that Ms Badal had suggested such a proposal.
"... the Minister did not support any proposal for supply of processed food under the Midday Meal scheme," her Ministry had said in a statement yesterday.
The HRD Ministry said that during the meeting between Ms Irani and Ms Nooyi, concerns of the government about high sugar and fat content in some processed foods were also expressed.
Ms Nooyi mentioned that PepsiCo is already paying attention to the need of producing healthy products in the market.