There are around 113 schools in Pernem which avail of the Mid Day Meal Scheme. Pernem has five self help group (SHG) centres which provide mid day meals to the schools of this taluka.
When Herald team visited the schools, they found the SHG centres clean and tidy.
Neelkamal Mahila Udyog is based in Sawalwada Pernem which provides food to 1670 children of 21 schools from Pernem to Patradevi. This group has 11 members working for the last 15 years.
The second group is Shri Mauli Sanskrutik Mahila Mandal of Virnoda Pernem. This group has six members working from last 3 years. Around 1369 students of 42 schools from Virnoda to Ibrampur get food provided by this group.
Omkar Mahila Mandal group working from 2012 provides food to around 500 students of 16 schools of Tuem to Morjim. This group has 7 members.
The Annapurna Self Help group based in Arambol, existing for the past six years, provides food to 1600 students of 22 schools of Mandrem to Corgao. This group has 9 members. This group is now divided in sections. The name of the new group is Sai Prrasad. They have divided the group so that they can divide the work load. This group will be starting its work of providing food from August 1, this year. Each group will be providing food to 800 students.
Devki Self Help group of Arambol caters to 1233 students of 22 schools of Arambol, Qerim & Palye. They have 7 members working fro last 4 years.
When Herald team visited all this centres of SHG, they found the kitchens very clean and neat. The garbage waste of the kitchen is either used for manure or left in septic tanks which does not create any kind of pollution in the area. All the members has their health cards. All this groups are registered under Food and Safety Act 2006. Some of the groups do pest control after every 3 months and some groups clean the kitchen and store room by themselves. Most of the members have catering course certificates and are well experienced in cooking. Also the members of the groups are regular in their work.
ADEI officials of Pernem said inspection of the kitchens of all the self help groups is done personally along with officials.
of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan on a monthly basis. They check the cleanliness and hygiene of the kitchen as well as the surroundings. They also check the quality of the food. Till now they haven’t received any complaints about the quality of the food from any school.
