A central kitchen to supply midday meal to schools of Baleswar district couldn’t take off due to unknown reasons. Although an NGO was selected by the State  Government following a steering committee, yet the kitchen couldn’t start till date.

For supply of meals, the selected NGO for the district is ‘Bagdanga Paschim Gheri Vishal Laxmi’ of West Bengal.

A member of the NGO Dillip Paul said the project is hanging fire for last two years even after signing an agreement with the district Collector in 2017 .

“Since two years we have been running from pillar to post to begin the kitchen but till now it couldn’t be materialized  as different hurdles were put before us by the districtadministration as well as the District Education Officer. Finally, we knocked the door of the Orissa High Court and obtained an order directing the district Collector to start the kitchen immediately,” Paul said.

“We have already taken a building  near Sergarh  on rent for the kitchen  paying monthly Rs 81,000 . Other accessories required for the kitchen have installed. But, unfortunately the kitchen couldn’t start whereas in Jeypore (Koraput), we are running similar  kitchen smoothly,” he said.

Meals for students of schools under Soro, Jaleswar,Nilgiri NACs and Baleswar municipality were too to be supplied initially from this central kitchen and subsequently, to other schools in rural pockets.

Earlier, the Pachika and Sahayika Sangha  had protested against the induction of the NGO for midday meal supply fearing they might lose livelihood.

However, that was dispensed after assurance by the NGO members that no retrenchment  would be made and the existing Pachika and Sahayika won’t be disturbed .

“We are running similar kitchen in Koraput and supplying meals to students and no one was retrenched. Similarly, other NGOs and organizations are managing kitchens in other districts,” Paul remarked.