PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will take action against the self-help groups (SHGs) which do not have licence from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide midday meals in schools run by the civic body.
"We have come to know that some groups have not followed the procedure before starting the mid-day meal schemes in schools. The civic body will serve show-cause notices to them and action will be taken accordingly," said Shivaji Daundkar, education officer of the PMC, on Tuesday.
The PMC officials said that 14 SHGs are engaged in preparing food under the scheme, which was initiated by the state government in 2007 for students from std I to VIII.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, these groups are required to register themselves and seek licences from the FDA, which checks various factors such as hygiene, material used for cooking and quality before giving its consent.
More than 150 women from various SHGs prepare food under the scheme daily, which is served to 31,000 students in schools run by the civic body.
A proposal by the civic body to extend the scheme to nursery school students was approved by the standing committee in 2008.
The PMC runs nearly 300 nursery schools with more than 12,000 students from weaker sections of the society enrolled.
In the past, experts and activists have always questioned the quality of food served to the students.
Last year, 78 students of municipal primary school number 5, located at Janata Vasahat in Parvati, suffered from food poisoning after they ate stale food served under the midday meal scheme.
Their condition stablised after undergoing treatment 0at three private hospitals.
"We have come to know that some groups have not followed the procedure before starting the mid-day meal schemes in schools. The civic body will serve show-cause notices to them and action will be taken accordingly," said Shivaji Daundkar, education officer of the PMC, on Tuesday.
The PMC officials said that 14 SHGs are engaged in preparing food under the scheme, which was initiated by the state government in 2007 for students from std I to VIII.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, these groups are required to register themselves and seek licences from the FDA, which checks various factors such as hygiene, material used for cooking and quality before giving its consent.
More than 150 women from various SHGs prepare food under the scheme daily, which is served to 31,000 students in schools run by the civic body.
A proposal by the civic body to extend the scheme to nursery school students was approved by the standing committee in 2008.
The PMC runs nearly 300 nursery schools with more than 12,000 students from weaker sections of the society enrolled.
In the past, experts and activists have always questioned the quality of food served to the students.
Last year, 78 students of municipal primary school number 5, located at Janata Vasahat in Parvati, suffered from food poisoning after they ate stale food served under the midday meal scheme.
Their condition stablised after undergoing treatment 0at three private hospitals.
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