BHUBANESWAR: Students in five districts of the State would be provided with ‘happiness kits’ ahead of reopening of schools. Each kit will include wheat, turmeric powder, peanuts, jaggery, chickpeas, cinnamon, cardamom, biscuits and other nutritious food products to boost immunity of the students. The kits will also contain stationary items including pen, pencil, note pad, sanitary napkin, toothpaste, iodised salt and soap.
The government has approved a proposal to allow Akshaya Patra Foundation, that supplies mid-day meals to schools in five districts of the State, to distribute the kits among the students. “The foundation had sought permission for distribution of happiness kits among 1.83 lakh students of 1,916 schools in five districts and the approval was given two days back,” said School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash.
The kits will be distributed among students of Class I to Class VIII in Nayagarh, Sundargarh, Khurda, Puri and Cuttack from the first week of February. The distribution programme will be launched from Balianta on the outskirts of the State Capital.
As schools were closed, funds meant for mid-day-meals is being directly deposited in the accounts of the beneficiaries by the government. However, the contribution the foundation was making to provide nutritious foods to students in schools remained unutilised and the same would be used for supplying the kits to the children. “We hope that the kits will help students stay fit and prepare them ahead of reopening of their schools,” said an official from the foundation.
At present, schools in Odisha have been reopened partially for students of Class X and XII. Sources said, no decision has yet been taken on reopening of schools for students of elementary level as well as Class IX and XI.