Midday Meal Cooks trained in North Sikkim

MANGAN, 11 Dec: A training for cooks and helpers of Mid Day Meal scheme in North district was organized by the Human Resource Development Department on 10 December. Around 55 MDM cooks and helpers attended the training.
Pema Choden Bhutia [Jt. Director, Social Welfare, Nutrition Cell], in her address, explained the scheme, the need for maintaining proper hygiene in the preparation of meals, ensuring proper nutrition, etc.
Sonam Choden [Asst. Director, Nutrition cell] spoke on the importance of proper nutrition for growing children.
PT Bhutia [MDM in-charge, Gangtok] informed that at present children upto class VIII are covered under the MDM scheme and the cost of a meal is Rs. 3.60 to Rs. 5 as per central government directions. The salary of cooks and helpers can be revised up to Rs. 2,000 per month from next year [Rs. 1,000 at present], he added.
Mr. Bhutia further informed that the problems and difficulties of MDM cooks and helpers have been placed with the central government by the state’s HRD department and will be resolved soon.  In Sikkim, total 63,000 children are provided meals everyday and total 1,800 cooks are engaged, he informed.
Sonam Lepcha [Joint Director, HRDD], in his address stated in the North district most of the cooks cum helpers are women which is good since they know the needs of a child better. He further highlighted that theirs is a very important task.
“We all have to focus on use of safe drinking water provision for them and very soon the officers from Social Welfare department’s Nutrition cell will visit kitchens of MDM for observation and proper direction on preparation of MDM. Meals should be provided for at least 220 days per session to at least 85% of children”, he informed.
The programme concluded with vote of thanks by TN Lepcha [MDM, In-charge North]. Also present was Anand Pradhan [Coordinator, HRDD North] and S Lepcha [Asst. Director, HRDD, BAC].