Solapur zilla parishad revamps school kitchens to improve standard of mid-day meals

Pune: In an attempt to enhance nutritional standards of mid-day meals and ensure they are cooked in hygienic conditions, the zilla parishad in Maharashtra's Solapur district has started an initiative to revamp school kitchens and allocated Rs 2.5 crore in its budget for this purpose.

The zilla parishad’s 'Amrit Rasoi' initiative will ensure that school kitchens are equipped with appliances, dining tables, water purifiers, gas cylinders, utensils and other essential paraphernalia, an official said.

A total of 1,500 schools that come under the zilla parishad will be covered in the programme, which has already been implemented on a pilot basis in 30 to 40 schools in Karmala tehsil, said Manoj Raut, the block development officer (BDO) of Karmala.

Solapur zilla parishad's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Manisha Awahle started the endeavour after she saw the neglected state of kitchens and the substandard conditions in which food was prepared during her inspection visits to schools.

The zilla parishad recently allocated Rs 2.5 crore for the Amrit Rasoi project.

Talking to PTI, Awahle said, "I found that kitchens lacked necessary utensils, basic appliances like refrigerators, mixer grinders, and water purifiers. I was especially concerned to see vegetables stored at the houses of helpers in the absence of proper storage facilities."

Unsettled by these conditions, she stressed the need for equipping school kitchens with essential amenities during coordination meetings with district officials.

She urged officials at the panchayat samiti level to prioritise revamping kitchens.

In this project, the emphasis will be on maintaining cleanliness and hygiene by keeping infestation at bay in the kitchen area.

"To enhance the dining experience, we are focusing on setting up dining tables so that students don't have to sit on the floor to eat," Awahle said.

While it costs around Rs 1 lakh to set up a basic kitchen, each school has been granted Rs 3 lakh to create dining areas as well, she said.

Karmala BDO Raut, who took the lead in implementing the project, said he selected several schools in his area and revamped their kitchens with the help of available funds and support from the gram panchayat.

Vilas Siral, the headmaster of a primary school in Khadki village where the school kitchen has been revamped, said that earlier, storing vegetables and eggs was a challenge without a refrigerator.

"Thanks to Raut sir and the zilla parishad, we can now store vegetables for longer periods. In addition to the refrigerator, we have also been provided utensils, aprons, caps, sanitisers, and cleaning materials to ensure the kitchen remains clean," he said.

Ranjana Unde, the village development officer of Khadki, said that the gram panchayat supplied a refrigerator, gas stoves, a mixer-grinder, utensils, a pressure cooker, plates, glasses and spoons.

"The total cost of these items was Rs 76,000, and we are committed to supporting the school to ensure that the nutritional aspect is prioritised," Unde said.