JEYPORE: The panchayat samiti of Jeypore block has decided to close the central kitchen service meant for distributing mid-day meal to school students in different villages. At a meeting here on Wednesday, samiti members and sarpanches of the block alleged that the agency, which has bagged the tender for distributing mid-day meals, is providing substandard food to students.
Most of the students are leaving mid-day meal packets untouched alleging poor quality. The practice of supplying meals from the central kitchen should be stopped immediately. The mid-day meals should be distributed through village self-help groups (SHGs), they said.
After the demand got support from local MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and other participants, it was unanimously decided to resume mid-day meal service by roping in SHGs. Among others, Block Development Officer Suraj Patnaik was present. The central kitchen service, run by an NGO, provides mid-day meals to 224 schools in Jeypore region.