Courtesy Hiru News

The Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage held a special discussion with the Government Medical Officers’ Association at the Govijana Mandiraya today (27) regarding the issue of giving a glass of traditional rice porridge instead of a glass of milk to school children.

This program was presented by the Government Medical Officers’ Association as a solution to the inadequate milk production in the country and the malnutrition of school children.

There is malnutrition as well as excessive weight gain among school children today and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes is on the rise among school children.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has pointed out that it is more important to provide a glass of porridge made from non-toxic traditional local rice as a solution to these problems.

The Ministry of Agriculture agreed to the proposal and appointed a committee to conduct a feasibility study of the program.<

Retired Major General Sumedha Perera, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and officials from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Development were also present on the occasion.