Mumbai: More than a lakh school cooks and helpers across Maharashtra will be trained and given lessons on maintaining their workplace hygiene and cooking healthy recipes in the centralised kitchens under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana, according to the state education department.
1.65 lakhs cooks and helpers to be trained
“We will be giving training to 1.65 lakh to cooks and helpers who prepare meals for students in state-run schools. However the state education department will be selecting the organisation who will be providing training across the state in March and April,” said an official. Moreover, the State Government plans to give them aprons, skull caps, gloves and other safety materials that would help in better hygiene while cooking.
The midday meal scheme was started in 1995 for students of Class I to V. In 2008, the scope of this scheme was increased and nutritional food was given to students from Class I to VIII. Under this scheme, nutritional food is provided to students in the form of cooked food, and cooks and helpersare appointed for the purpose.
A decision was taken a few days ago to increase the salary of kitchen helpersto Rs 2,500. “Guidance will be given on aspects such as cleanliness, useful recipes for children's health, maintaining clean surroundings while cooking, and self-hygiene among others. A tender process has been implemented to select the training institutions," added the official.
