Drive to develop nutritious gardens in Dakshina Kannada schools, anganwadi centres

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Kumar said that a campaign to raise nutritious garden, under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Development Scheme (MGNREGS), will cover schools, colleges, hostels and hospitals across the district.

ZP CEO presiding over a meeting said fresh leafy vegetables should be cultivated in the available land in schools. Medicinal plants should be planted in the premises of Primary Health Centres in the district. An implementation and monitoring committees will be set up at the district and taluk-level for ensuring successful implementation of nutrition garden campaign in the district.

Steps should be taken to plant the saplings of mango, sapota, guava, drumstick, lemon, gooseberry and papaya in the premises of schools, anganwadi centres and hostels. The officials should ensure that schools, colleges, anganwadi centres, hostels and hospitals have a compound wall and water facility before being invlpp-e.

After developing the nutritious garden, the work on maintenance should be entrusted to the staff of the schools, hospitals and hostels by imparting them proper training, said the CEO. The campaign to develop nutritious garden will be taken up in 50 schools, 60 anganwadi centres, 11 hostels and seven hostels run by backward classes. The success story should be documented. The BEOs should discuss the implementation of scheme with headmasters.

Horticulture department deputy director H R Nayak, Social Welfare department deputy director Yogesh, Women and Child Development deputy director Papa Bhovi and others were present.