Gas Shortage Hits Schools: Punjab Government Orders Alternate Cooking Arrangements to Save Mid-Day Meals
Date: March 16, 2026
S.A.S. NAGAR (MOHALI)16 March (Jobsoftoday) – In a swift move to ensure that thousands of students across the state do not go hungry, the Punjab State Mid-Day Meal Society has issued an urgent directive today addressing a critical shortage of LPG cooking gas cylinders in schools.
The official notice (Memo No. PM POSHAN/GM/2026/71358) comes after numerous school heads reported significant difficulties and delays in procuring gas cylinders required to prepare daily meals under the PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal) Scheme.
Key Highlights of the Directive:
- Widespread Delays: The department acknowledged receiving multiple complaints via telephone regarding the non-availability or delayed delivery of cooking gas.
- The Cooking Challenge: While the majority of school meals are traditionally prepared using gas cylinders, the current supply chain issues are threatening to halt meal production.
- Alternative Solutions Ordered: District Education Officers (Secondary and Primary) have been instructed to make alternative arrangements immediately if gas is unavailable, ensuring that the feeding program remains uninterrupted.
"This should be considered extremely urgent. The goal is to ensure that the Mid-Day Meal program is not affected by these logistical hurdles." — General Manager, Punjab State Mid-Day Meal Society
The directive has been marked for immediate action and copies have been forwarded to the Secretary of School Education and the Director General of School Education, Punjab, to monitor the situation closely.
