New Paradigm for Women Empowerment: Odisha Women SHGs to Manage Mid-Day Meals in Schools

Bhubaneswar: In a remarkable step towards further empowerment of women self-help groups in Odisha, the State Government will soon engage the WSGHs for the management of mid-day meal (MDM) programme in the schools.

The Government has approved the guidelines in this regard on Wednesday, as per the reports.
In a letter, the School and Mass Education Department has urged the State Nodal Officer, MDM to communicate the guidelines and take appropriate action for its implementation.

“With a view to ensuring active involvement of Women SHGs and freeing teachers from MDM work, it is felt necessary to bring about a detailed guideline encompassing WSHG selection, their roles and responsibilities and also of the Headmaster and Central Kitchens,” the letter said.

The schools which are covered by Central Kitchen Agencies shall not be entrusted to WSHGs.

Selection of WSHG for MDM management shall be done by Collectors as per the rules of Directorate, Mission Shakti to be intimated to the districts, the letter stated.

The robust and viable WSHGs would be handed over MDM management from SMC in a phased manner.

Schools with more than 100 students would be handed over to WSHGs initially.

The list of such schools shall be provided by the District Education Officer to the DSWO to facilitate selection of suitable WSHGs, sources said.

The district collectors have been ordered for provisioning of services and procurement of goods through SHGs besides convergence of Mission Shakti with different departments.

Earlier, the State Government had approved a proposal for provisioning of services and procurement of goods relating to 10 Departments through women SHGs.