‘ Kan Sikul, Kan Huan (My School, My Home)’, a project of Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district administration for turning schools into nutrition gardens, has been made the model for all schools and colleges in the State to follow.
The Hindu had reported about the project, the brainchild of the district’s Deputy Commissioner Shaskanka Ala, that seeks to fight malnutrition among children by letting them grow their own fruits and vegetables in their schools with the help of teachers, parents and community members.
Referring to the Lawngtlai project and attaching a presentation on how Ms. Ala developed it, Mizoram’s Directorate of School Education on July 26 wrote to the district heads to guide and help educational institutions in their jurisdiction in making reliable kitchen or nutrition gardens with the involvement of other departments.
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₹66 lakh approved
“It may be stated that the Ministry of Human Resource Development, having realised the contribution that these kitchen gardens have yielded in improving the nutritional content of the (midday) meal served, has decided to take up kitchen garden on a wider scale from the financial year 2019-20 and has introduced flexi fund of 5% over and above the annual work plan and budget for providing additional items for supplementary nutrition over and above the existing provisions and for developing kitchen gardens,” said Lalzarmawii, the State’s Director of School Education and State Nodal Officer for Midday Meal.
“This year, ₹66 lakh has been approved for developing 1,320 kitchen gardens at the rate of ₹5,000 per school,” the Director added.
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