Govt wants hospitals, prisons, schools to eat more moong

The Centre wants states to feed more moong dal to hospital patients, prison inmates and school students, two people aware of the development said. According to the agriculture ministry's first advance estimates, moong dal production for the kharif season alone is projected at 1.3 million tonnes, compared with 3.6 mt in FY23 and 3.1 mt in FY24. “Moong dal is known for its high nutritional value and ease of digestion and is particularly suitable for patients and individuals with sensitive dietary requirements," said Dr Seema Puri, former professor at the Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University. “This move is well-suited for hospitals, where washed moong dal is commonly used to prepare easily digestible foods like pulses, soups, and soft dishes suitable for patients on light diets. “It aims to boost demand for moong dal and ensure that public health institutions support local farmers, while also improving the nutritional quality of their food supplies," the second person said.