BERHAMPUR: Despite Union Human Resources Development Ministry’s insistence on use of LPG in Government schools, around 50 per cent educational institutions in Ganjam district continue to depend on firewood for cooking mid-day meals (MDM). As per the district education department, out of 3,942 schools in Ganjam district, only 1,471 (37 per cent) use LPG while 1,985 (around 50 per cent) depend on firewood for cooking MDM. Mid-day meals are served to over 3.3 lakh students from Classes I to VIII in the district.
An NGO, Manna Trust, provides cooked meals to 78 schools in Berhampur, 97 in Hinjili, 137 in Chhatrapur and 10 model schools. Women self-help groups supply midday meals to 121 schools in Belaguntha NAC, 194 in Bhanjanagar and three model schools. The State Government, in 2016, had directed all Collectors to ensure midday meals are cooked using LPG in their respective districts as it is safer, less time consuming and environment-friendly.
District Education Officer (DEO), Ganjam Sanatan Panda said Rs 6,000 is being spent to introduce LPG in a school. He said the role of panchayats is vital for development of schools in rural areas. Panda said sarpanchs have been directed to utilise funds for introducing LPG in schools where firewood is still being used cooking mid-day meals. The DEO said efforts are being made to detach teachers from mid-day meals and involve more SHG groups in the scheme.
As per data available with the district education office, the problem in the schools across the district is not limited to sparse use of LPG. Records show that as many as 1,424 schools have no kitchen shed. Similarly, while multi-tap systems have been introduced in 494 schools, those are yet to be launched in 2,976 institutions. Sources said each school in the district was given `15,000 for implementing the system.