Lucknow, Nov 5 (IANS) As many as 70 teachers of different government-run primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will face action for irregularities in the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme sponsored by the central government, an official said Wednesday.”These teachers are from 25 primary schools in Etah district. They were not regular in providing lunch to their students under the MDM scheme,” J.S. Satya, official in-charge of basic education in the district, told IANS.

“In some schools, like those in Jajlapur village in Etah, we came to know that lunch under MDM scheme was not provided to them (the students) since 2006,” he added.

On taking action against the teachers concerned Satya said: “Depending upon their involvement in committing irregularities in MDM, the teachers would be suspended or their services terminated.”

Etah is about 300 km from state capital Lucknow.

About 150,000 schools are covered under the MDM scheme in Uttar Pradesh.

Under the scheme, lunch is provided to students till Class 8. Over 18.6 million students are enrolled under the scheme in the state, officials said.