Chandigarh, March 13 -- Amid reports of an LPG shortage and restrictions on the supply of commercial cylinders due to disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict, the Union ministry of education has asked the states and union territories for details of their requirement for cooking gas cylinders used for preparing mid-day meals for children in government schools. The central ministry wrote to all states and UTs following reports that the LPG shortage and restrictions have started affecting the distribution of meals in government schools under the centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Scheme (PM Poshan) in some schools in states including Maharashtra and West Bengal. Under the scheme, children in pre-primary and primary (classes 1 to 5) and elementary (classes 6 to 8) levels receive free mid-day meals. States and UTs have been asked to monitor the situation and ensure that the distribution of mid-day meals continues without disruption, people familiar with the matter said here. They said that the ministry also asked them to estimate and convey their LPG cylinder requirement based on the formula of one cylinder per month for cooking meals for 36 school children to meet their demand. The school education department in Punjab has issued instructions to its officials in all districts, seeking school-wise details on the number of children served meals, their cooking gas requirements, and whether they use commercial or domestic cylinders. "We have asked them to send this information within 24 hours so that arrangements can be made for an uninterrupted supply of gas cylinders," a department official said, requesting anonymity. Around 15.60 lakh students - 1.20 lakh students in Bal Vatikas (pre-primary sections), 9.05 lakh in primary classes, and 5.32 lakh at upper primary level - get freshly cooked mid-day meals in 19,653 government schools in the state. The menu includes dal-chapati, rajma-rice, black or white chana-poori, seasonal vegetables with chapati, and karhi-rice. On average, 80% of enrolled students availed the mid-day meals in schools across the state during the 2024-25 academic year. Officials of the education department in Sangrur, Kapurthala and Amritsar said there have been no reports of any disruption in the distribution of mid-day meals in their districts so far. "We have faced any problem so far. Every school has its LPG connection and keeps some extra cylinders as per its student strength and need. We are collecting information on their requirements," a district mid-day meal manager said....