Remuneration for Mid-Day Meal Cooks and Helpers enhanced in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a move towards the welfare of mid-day meal cooks and helpers, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared a substantial increase in their remuneration on Saturday.

The remuneration for both cooks and assistants engaged in preparing mid-day meals in schools across the state has been elevated from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000. This commendable decision will directly benefit the dedicated workforce serving in 55,000 schools throughout Odisha, and the state will allocate Rs 74 crore annually to implement this enhancement.

The revised remuneration will be implemented retrospectively from October 2023, as mentioned in a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Additionally, CM Patnaik expressed empathy by announcing an ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh for the families of cooks and helpers in the unfortunate event of their demise during their tenure.

The positive impact of this move will extend to approximately 1.10 lakh cooks and assistants contributing to the mid-day meal program in 55,000 schools across the state. The announcement reflects the state government’s commitment to the welfare and livelihoods of those actively involved in the crucial task of providing nutritious meals to school children.