The State Government will soon provide information on salary being paid to cooks engaged in schools for preparing mid-day meals across Odisha through SMS-based mechanism.
If any of the cooks does not possess mobile phones, the SMSes will be sent to the concerned BEOs. According to School and Mass Education department sources, preparations for implementing the initiative have already begun.
Sources said, an IT hub will be set up to maintain data related to schools, number of students, text books provided to students and scholarships, etc.
Nearly 1.26 lakh cooks are engaged to prepare meals under the MDM scheme in schools across the State. But, they are unable to get information on their salary. Some cooks have in the past alleged that they have not been receiving their salaries on monthly basis.
Similarly, School and Mass Education Department authorities have started an initiative to provide scholarship fees to meritorious students every month. The Government has decided to maintain updates on schools and their activities at the proposed IT centre. The Government has already identified the location to set up the IT centre.