The Social Welfare Department has been implementing the noon meal scheme for girl students only in Kerala. The Union Ministry of Women and Child Welfare now have given the primary sanction for the project proposed by the state government for adolescent girls too.

 The project is being implemented as part of the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)- known as SABLA, which aims to solve malnutrition in adolescent girls. The project would cover girls between 11 and 18 years of age. Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath told media that the direction has been given to the state to fulfil the preparations for the same.

 Health minister P K Sreemathi has demanded implementation of the project through schools in the state. She said this at a meeting of Woman child welfare minister and secretaries of the state. The minister pointed out that in Kerala adolescent girls are regular school goers and so SABLA can be implemented effectively through schools. Through the scheme, nutrition supplement can be given to girl students from 9-12 standard apart from giving training and counselling. Minister Krishna Tirath said that the project can be implemted as per the model proposed by Kerala.

 At present noon meal scheme is being implemented till 9th standard. With SABLA, girl students in higher class will also be eligible for that. Kerala also demanded alloting more funds for the construction of nurseries, Rs 5000 for constructing children-friendly toilets, special nurseries for mentally disabled kids and to raise wages of cr�che employees. Apart from the health minister, health secretery Usha Titus and Social welfare director PP Gopi represented Kerala.