KADAPA: In a groundbreaking initiative, Minister for HRD, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, inaugurated India’s first Centralised Advanced Smart Kitchen at the MPP School in CK Dinne, Kamalapuram constituency, Kadapa district, on Tuesday.
Built at a cost of Rs 2 crore, this state-of-the-art facility aims to provide nutritious, hygienic meals to students. Lokesh also virtually launched four additional smart kitchens in Kamalapuram (2), Jammalamadugu (2), and Kadapa (1).
Under the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme, these five smart kitchens will serve 10,332 students across 136 schools, with meals delivered via 13 dedicated vehicles.
Operating on solar power and supervised by nutritionists, the kitchens adhere to stringent quality standards, using water from a specialised RO plant.
Lokesh inaugurated the RO plant and food distribution vehicles, ensuring compliance with the government’s menu for hygienic and tasty meals delivered on time.
By December, 33 smart kitchens across 11 mandals in Kadapa district will cater to 1,24,689 students, Lokesh announced, emphasising plans to scale the model statewide based on performance.
He urged staff to collect parental feedback to refine operations and inspected the kitchen to assess food quality and preparation processes.
On the occasion, Lokesh interacted with Class 10 students, seeking feedback on educational reforms.
Students appreciated the semester-wise textbook system for reducing bag weight and praised the improved taste of mid-day meals due to fine rice on menu. They requested computer labs, new benches, a higher compound wall, and larger school bags.