A joint workshop was organized at the District Panchayat Sabhagrah under the chairmanship of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the District Panchayat, Siddharth Jain, to guide self-help group (SHG) members involved in running mid-day meal services in CM Rise and PM Shri schools. The workshop also included representatives of mid-day meal-providing institutions and in-charges of the mid-day meal program from various schools.

During the session, all self-help groups were informed about the government’s prescribed standards for mid-day meals and were given detailed guidance on maintaining high-quality food for students. CEO Siddharth Jain emphasized that the meals served in schools should not only be nutritious but must strictly adhere to the prescribed menu and quantity set by the government. He also stressed that under no circumstances should students be provided with food that falls short of the stipulated nutritional and quantity requirements.

The workshop also focused on hygiene, food safety, and cleanliness in kitchens. Self-help group members were instructed on the necessary precautions to be taken while preparing meals and the implementation of safety measures. Additionally, they were directed to register under key government schemes, including the National Rural Livelihood Mission and the Urban Livelihood Mission, to avail benefits and strengthen their operations.

Further, SHGs working under CM Rise and PM Shri schools were reminded to provide quality food while adhering to the prescribed dress code. The session also served as a platform to discuss and address the challenges faced by the groups in the implementation of the mid-day meal program.

The workshop was attended by officials from the District Panchayat, mid-day meal in-charge project officers, the District Project Manager of the Rural Livelihood Mission, representatives from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and in-charges of the concerned schools.