Andhra Pradesh is introducing ‘chikki’ millets in government schools to boost student nutrition
The initiative aims to improve children’s nutrition, promote healthy growth, boost immunity and improve concentration in the classroom, the official says. File | Photo credit: KVS Giri
The Andhra Pradesh government has replaced the conventional groundnut ‘chikki’ served in government schools under the dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme and introduced groundnut millet ‘chikki’, a more nutritious millet-based alternative.
The aim of the initiative is to improve children’s nutrition, promote healthy growth, strengthen immunity and improve concentration in the classroom.
The new ‘chikki’ combines peanuts, mixed millets (ragi, jowar and bajra) and jaggery syrup, making it richer in fiber and calcium, while retaining the protein and energy benefits of peanuts.
The existing distribution schedule has been maintained and millet ‘chikki’ will be served to the students three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. To facilitate timely distribution, the state has been divided into six supply packages covering all districts.
Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme Director B. Srinivasa Rao said it was an important initiative in school nutrition. “The introduction of groundnut millet jaggery chikki in this scheme marks a significant step in school nutrition as the millet-enriched version naturally improves calcium, iron, protein and fiber intake in children,” he told The Hindu on Sunday.
Mr. Rao said that to ensure transparency and quality, supplies were ordered only through reputed branded manufacturers and multi-layer protective packaging was introduced and barcode based monitoring was implemented on each individual package and shipping cartons.
Mr. Rao said that by integrating traditional millets with the popular school snack and promoting quality standards, the state has taken a significant step to strengthen school nutrition and set a benchmark for similar programs across the country.
Published – 06 Jul 2026 11:41 IST