Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to provide cooked midday meals to students of classes 9 and 10 in state-run schools from April 1, an official said on Thursday.

The decision was taken to increase the nutritional level of students, and enhance enrolment, attendance and retention at the secondary level, School and Mass Education Department Additional Secretary SK Mohapatra said.

The state government will bear additional expenditure of Rs 570.71 crore annually to implement the decision, he said in a letter to the state nodal officer of PM Poshan, Girish Chandra Singh.

The government also decided to provide three nutrition-rich laddoos to students of classes 1 to 10 every week from April 1, he added.

The laddoos will be distributed to the students during morning assembly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Singh said in a letter to the district collectors.

The cost of each laddoo is Rs 3.50, he said.

An additional egg will also be provided to the students covered under the PM Poshan scheme. At present, two eggs are being provided each week.