Reopening of Schools | Educational institutions asked to serve students cooked meals

The eligible students received dry ration from their schools while the cooking cost was credited to the accounts of their parents as well.

Srinagar: The heads of educational institutions have been asked to resume serving cooked meals to school-going children as schools reopen after a long break following their closure after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The schools in Jammu summer zones already resumed offline classes for students in a phased manner from January 14.

The educational institutions in Kashmir and the winter zones of Jammu would reopen for routine classwork for students from March 2.

“March 2 will be the first working day in schools as the State Executive Committee has ordered reopening of schools in Kashmir and winter zones of Jammu division after February 28,” an official said.

In view of this, Project Director Prime Minister Poshan J&K has asked the schools to resume serving cooked meals to children under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme (PM Poshan Scheme).

“Since schools for junior classes opened in summer zone from February 21 and would open in winter after February 28, you are hereby directed to instruct the field functionaries to serve hot cooked meals to children immediately after the reopening of schools,” reads a circular issued by Project Director PM Poshan J&K.

“Necessary instructions issued from time to time by the J&K government and Ministry of Education (MoE), GoI, to follow COVID Appropriate Behavior strictly should be followed while continuing to serve cooked meals in schools,” it reads.

Earlier, the Food Security Allowance (FSA) was being credited into the accounts of eligible school-going children and the dry ration was being distributed to them at their doorsteps during the closure of schools in J&K.

The distribution of dry ration to students up to class 8th was started after the educational institutions in J&K shifted to e-mode in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The eligible students received dry ration from their schools while the cooking cost was credited to the accounts of their parents as well.