KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Monday proposed for inclusion of students of Sishu Mandir and Vivekananda Vidya Mandir under Mid-Day Meal Scheme from 2018-19 during a National Level Workshop on MDM here.
Informing about the development, School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra said that proposal for the inclusion of students of the Sishu Mandir and Vivekananda Vidya Mandir along with class ninth and tenth of government and aided schools under the MDM was submitted during the two-day MDM National Workshop-2017.
As many as 6346 schools in Odisha do not have the MDM facilities, the Minister added.
Patra also informed that proposal for the hike of the salary of the MDM cooks and helpers as well as funds for the MDM were also submitted.
The Odisha government also proposed for the hike of the funds spent for the Primary and Upper Primary schools. Besides, it proposed to set-up a food testing laboratory in the state to examine the quality of MDM.
On this occasion, G Vijaya Bhaskar, Director, (MDM) lauded the initiative of the Odisha government in providing the MDM to the students.
Odisha is the only state in the country which gives money to the students if the MDM is not provided, Bhaskar added. He also suggested to create kitchen garden inside the school premises in the rural areas. He also informed that students will be provided plates, if the proposals were granted.
Delegates from as many as 18 states participated in the two-day event.