• Sri Lanka in 6th slot when it comes to countries with highest malnutrition among the children says UNICEF
• Lions Club and Save the Children Organization have undertaken the task of looking after school children

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana 

A programme to provide free midday meals for all school children will be introduced in the budget for next year, Leader of the House Susil Premajayantha told Parliament yesterday. 

Responding to a query made by Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Mr. Premajayantha said arrangements will be made to provide midday meals for all school children by the next year’s budget. Mr. Premadasa actually requested that the midday meal programme should be resumed considering the UNICEF report which said Sri Lanka is in the 6th slot when it comes to countries with highest malnutrition among the children. 

“We will focus on this report and will provide free midday meals for all school children through the 2023 budget,” Mr. Premajayantha said. 

“The stocks of yellow dhal which have been received from the USA and 10,000 tonnes of rice received from China will be distributed among the poor,” he added.