BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has urged the Centre to proportionally increase its share of funds under the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme following its decision to enhance the honorarium of cook-cum-helpers. The request was made by School and Mass Education Minister Badrinarayan Patra to Union Minister for Human Resources Development Prakash Javadekar. Patra said the State Government, after careful consideration, has decided to hike the honorarium of cook-cum-helpers engaged in MDM scheme from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month subject to proportional increase of the Centre’s share of 60 per cent.
Patra said the State Government has already released its share of funds for the enhanced honorarium with effect from January, 2018. He said the School and Mass Education Principal Secretary has already made the request twice to the Department of School Education and Literacy under Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. Patra requested Javadekar to appreciate the State Government’s decision which was taken after consideration of the merits of the demands of low paid volunteers engaged in cooking mid-day meals in schools. He asked the Union Minister to release the Centre’s share with effect from January, 2018.