Nayagarh: Even as the plan to raise nutrition gardens (kitchen garden) in the schools aimed at providing nutritious diet to supplement students’ midday meals received tremendous response, many schools remained apathetic or non-responsive to the proposal, said a report.
According to a report, nutrition gardens have become functional in 185 schools in the district while 43 schools are yet to submit their report to the School and Mass Education Department.
The nutrition garden scheme has received widespread accolades in the district while some who implemented the scheme have started tasting the fruits of their labour. The students and the teachers have raised various vegetables in their garden and are watering the plants during the games period which are being used in the preparation of mid-day meals.
The School and Mass Education department in a letter to all the District Collectors has directed creation of nutrition gardens in their respective schools after it was alleged that students were served only rice and dal in their noon meals on November 26, 2018.
Sources said, 228 schools in the district have been identified to raise nutrition gardens out of which 185 schools have implemented it. The remaining 43 schools have not submitted any report about implementing the new scheme on their premises, sources from the district education office said.
According to the scheme, the students of the schools will have to plant papaya, banana, lemon, brinjals and other vegetables in the vacant lots of their school premises. The vegetables produced from these plants can be used in the mid-day meals.
The letter said vegetable is essential in the mid-day meals which when consumed by the students provides them nutrients for their mental and physical growth. Those schools surrounded by compound walls having vacant space and water facilities could develop such nutrition gardens on their premises for the benefit of the students.
The noon meal programme was being implemented in 1160 schools in the district out of which 228 were identified to develop nutrition garden for mid-day meals on their premises.
As many as 17 schools were identified in Gania block, 22 in Daspalla block, 14 in Bhapur, 24 in Khandapara, 40 in Nayagarh, 25 in Nuagaon, 42 in Odagaon and 44 in Ranpur block.
PNN