Proposal to shift midday meal preparation to cluster kitchens under review

Children gather for lunch during the midday meal programme at a school in Kittur taluk Belagavi : The school education department is examining a proposal to prepare midday meals at cluster-level kitchens instead of individual schools to reduce teachers’ non-academic workload. Joint director of PM Poshan Shakti Yojana has asked district authorities to assess the proposal’s feasibility and submit reports on its advantages and challenges before govt takes a final decision.

State School Teachers’ Association proposed the arrangement, saying it would allow teachers to concentrate on academics. Teachers currently undertake responsibilities including supervising cooking, managing foodgrains, maintaining accounts and preparing reports. Under the proposal, each kitchen would serve 10 to 15 schools in a cluster, with meals transported to schools in vehicles.

NGOs and self-help groups would manage the kitchens, creating employment opportunities for local women and helping rural women achieve economic self-reliance. Centralised preparation is expected to improve meal quality and management through more efficient use of cooking equipment, storage facilities, staff and transport systems.

A cluster is smaller than a block and is headed by a cluster resource person. Each block comprises 15 to 25 clusters. Belagavi educational district has seven blocks and Chikodi educational district eight.

Laxman Rao Yakkundi, a district official for the PM Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme, said four models were being used to supply meals in Belagavi district. NGOs supply meals to all schools in Belagavi city. In rural Belagavi, NGOs provide 80% of meals, while 20% are prepared in school kitchens.

Schools elsewhere in the district use their own kitchens. Leelavati Hiremath, deputy director of the school education and literacy department, Belagavi, said the proposal for one kitchen centre per cluster would be examined, and information on its advantages and disadvantages gathered.