The innovative model of agri-science centre, Kanker of establishing ‘poshan vatika’ in schools to ensure nutrition supply for children will be now replicated in about 11 lakh schools across India, officials informed on Thursday.
The agriculture science centre is run by Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU), Raipur.
“Union Human Resource Ministry in letters addressed to Chief Secretaries and School Secretaries of all states has instructed them to set up ‘Poshan Vaitka’ in every school,” public relation officer, IGAU Sanjay Nayyar said while adding that the letter has all necessary directives for setting up the poshan vatika.
In the letter they have been asked to take required technical support and directions from agriculture science centres, agriculture, horticulture and forest departments to assist in setting up the nursery, Nayyar informed.
The main aim of setting up poshan vatika is to avail nutrition for students along with development of their gardening skills, he said.
Notably, in 2015-16 agriculture science centre Kanker on experimental basis had set up nurseries or Poshan Vatika in 10 schools of the district. Impressed with the initiative the then district collector Shammi Abidi had provided financial assistance of Rs 10,000 for each school to maintain the nursery. Later on, encouraged by the success of these Poshan Vatikas in 2016-17 the model was replicated in 30 other schools of the district.
“Soon the model was adopted by Dantewada, Balrampur, Surguja, Bilaspur, Mungeli, Mahasamund and Raipur districts. Taking note of the success of ‘Poshan Vatika’ , the then Chief Secretary Viveek Dhand asked all district collectors to adopt the model and currently in about 10,000 schools ‘Poshan Vatika’ is being developed,” Nayyar claimed.