land issue is posing a major hurdle in taking up the centralised kitchen project ahead in different districts across Jharkhand. After Tata Steel limited and ISKCON’s successful collaboration at Jamshedpur, the Department of School Education and literacy has planned to rope in Bokaro Steel limited (BSl) and other interested firms to take up this ambitious project in different districts. However, due to some financial constraints including land issue, BSl has not been able to kickstart the project.
“We have approached the State government for the initiative last year but could not take up the project as steel industry is going through a bad phase. There are some financial constraints as well. We will review the project again at the financial year end in March 2017,” said, PRO, BSl, G Dhan.
On the other hand, CEO, Akshaya Patra Foundation, Shridhar Venkat, said, “We have received principal approval from Jharkhand MDM department for three locations namely Bokaro, Hazaribagh and Ranchi. The talks are under process with Chief Minister Raghubar Das and the MDM department for providing us with the land to set up centralised kitchens that can feed 50,000 children in all locations.”
Earlier in the mid June, the Department of School Education and literacy had initiated a plan to run centralised kitchens in municipal peripherals within certain radius at different districts to provide hygienic mid day meals to all kids studying at government cradles up to standard eight.
“The major hurdle here in starting up centralised kitchens in full-fledged manner is that both the districts lack support of PSU who will have to provide proper infrastructure for setting up kitchens in separate land. Akshay Patra has been approached for this and has been requested to tie-up with some PSUs to take the initiative ahead in State Capital. The authority has received two proposals for Ranchi and Hazaribagh districts,” said, Director, State MDM Authority, Jagjeet Singh.
As per the proposal, all the corporate firms under its CSR activity have to bear the cost of preparing quality midday meal (MDM) at a centralised kitchen and deliver it to the respective schools. The step is taken to curb the irregularities in the mid day meal scheme which is at present being prepared by ‘Saraswati Vahini’ staffs at both urban and rural areas across the State. The centralised kitchen concept being cost effective, time bound and hygienic, the department has initiated the process of implementing it in different districts.
At Bokaro district, the plan that was likely to begin in 2016 to cover up maximum government schools functioning within urban areas are stuck as BSl is yet to sanction land to Akshay Patra for the purpose. “Though the proposal is at final stage here but the land issue is yet to be finalized. In the first phase, approximately 205 Government schools will be covered under the project at Bokaro. After land issue clearance, MoU will be signed with DC in the presence of DSE for successfully running the project,” added Singh.
However, the centralized kitchen concept commenced at Jamshedpur in 2013 has been successfully providing healthy and hygienic food to school goers. According to the official, this year ISKCON has taken up 45 Government schools more to provide healthy MDM to students. “After the extension of ISKCON venture at Jamshedpur, approximately 305 Government schools are covered now under the centralized kitchen project. ISKCON group covers few parts of two districts Saraikela and West Singhbhum,” said Singh.