Thane: The authorities today served eggs to nearly 2.5 lakh children here and in the neighbouring Palghar district, on the occasion of 'World Egg Day'.  

The Valpada hamlet in Bhiwandi taluka here was bustling with activity this morning when the district administration officials arrived for the distribution of boiled eggs to the children in the 'anganwadis', the government-run rural mother and child care centres.   .

The children were seen relishing their breakfast as the officials informed them about the health benefits of consuming the egg, which is rich in protein. Thane district zilla parishad's chief executive officer (CEO) Vivek Bhimanwar was present during the distribution of eggs in Bhiwandi.  

Similar exercises were carried out in the district's nearly 1,230 aanganwadis and balwadis, the pre-schools run for economically weaker sections of the society. Nearly 1.3 lakh children are getting educated at the aanganwadis and balwadis in Thane. Of them, one lakh children were being served the eggs today as the others were vegetarians, he said.  

According to Thane district's animal husbandry officer Dr Prashant Kamble, there are a number of rural pockets here and incidences of malnourishment are reported from some of them. Thus, it is important for children to consume eggs, he said.  

In Palghar, the district zilla parishad's CEO, Milind Borikar, said they would be distributing around 1.5 lakh eggs to children not only in the aanganwadis and balwadis, but also in the aided and non-aided schools of the government.  

He said today the aided and non-aided schools were also included in the exercise as the children in aanganwadis and balwadis were already being served eggs twice every week. PTI