The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Need for more improvements in noon meal scheme

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 22, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Need for more improvements in noon meal scheme

R. Sujatha and Deepa H Ramakrishnan

In Karnataka and Puducherry, centralised kitchens have been introduced

S. THANTHONI.

MAKESHIFT KITCHEN?: Food being prepared in a Chennai Corporation run school in Kolathur. —

CHENNAI: The State’s noon meal scheme may have been replicated by several other States. But, while other States have improved on the concept, the pioneer continues with the idea without making too many changes.

The Chennai Corporation has 290 noon meal scheme centres, benefiting 64,065 students. The civic body also manages 322 centres in government, aided and Adi Dravida Welfare schools with 69,091 beneficiaries, said an official of the civic body.

The system of cooking elsewhere and serving children in schools was in vogue in the 1960s, but discontinued when the scheme was expanded to cover more schools. Officials and school Principals say a centralised kitchen may not achieve the purpose of providing hot, fresh food. However, the argument may not hold much substance, as in neighbouring Karnataka and Puducherry, where centralised kitchens have been introduced, more students are included and the menu has also vastly improved.

In Puducherry, meals are prepared in 12 central kitchens equipped with modern cooking range facilities and also in 92 school canteen centres. In several schools here water has to be brought in pots to the kitchen from the school building. Besides, food is cooked on firewood stoves as LPG cylinders and gas stoves are provided only to schools that have more than 200 children registered for the noon meal scheme.

According to sources, LPG facility is available only in 50 centres. Another 50 centres would get it in the next fortnight. Currently, in 44 schools the civic body is building new kitchens, replacing the existing sheet roofs. The government pays 43 paise per student towards cooking expenses, which include price of firewood. “The cost of firewood is high. We manage to buy cheaper vegetables. It would be better if the government increased the allotment to Re.1,” said a noon meal scheme official.

It has been observed that when menu is improved, more children eat well. School authorities express concerns about the quality of food served through centralised kitchens. They argue that traffic hold-ups and wastage are issues to be considered.

“Food is served hot in school. The headmaster and a couple of teachers supervise the cooking,” pointed out P. Perinbaraj, Principal of the Corporation school in Erukkencheri.

“As we maintain a record of absentees, it reduces wastage. We know what is being served. We cannot be sure of the quality if it comes from elsewhere,” explained K. N. Krishnaveni, Principal of Nungambakkam Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School. But even such ardent supporters are not averse to the idea if corporate houses take responsibility to serve guaranteed nutritious meal through centralised kitchens.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu