Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced a financial package of Rs 117.73 crore for cooks and their assistants engaged in government schools for the preparation of midday meals. The package also includes a saree allowance of Rs 500 for each of them.
Around 1.09 lakh women cooks and assistants from 4,730 Mission Shakti groups in 50,862 schools across the state will benefit from the assistance. Around 45.5 lakh students in classes I to VIII are served midday meals prepared by these workers. In 2017-18, the government had approved saree allowance of Rs 250 for them.
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced hike in emoluments of cooks and their assistants engaged in government schools for preparing midday meals.
As per the announcement, the monthly emoluments of the cooks and their assistants has been increased from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000. The increased emoluments will be paid with retrospective effect from October 2023, a release from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said.
As many as 1.10 lakh cooks and assistants working in 55,000 schools will benefit from the hiked emoluments. The decision will cost Rs 74 crore annually to the state exchequer.
Besides, the government will pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the family of a cook or an assistant in case of their death in service.