Chandigarh, March 14 -- 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....