SAS Nagar: Member of Punjab State Food Commission, Sh. Vijay Dutt, conducted a surprise visit of Government Schools and Anganwadi centers across various villages in Block Majri, today. The visit was aimed to evaluate the implementation of key welfare schemes and to ensure the well-being of children.
During the inspection, Commission Member Dutt noted the absence of the Commission's complaint number that was mandatory to display at several Schools and Anganwadi centers. He issued a notice to the District Grievance Redressal Officer, emphasizing the need for prompt corrective measures.
Concerns were raised regarding appearance of wild herbs observed near the Anganwadi Center in Kartarpur village, posing potential risks to small children. Despite earlier requests from Anganwadi helper Rajwinder Kaur to concernd authorities, no action had been taken to address the cleanliness issue. Commission Member Dutt mandated that the District Grievance Redressal Officer should take necessary steps to rectify this situation.
State Food Commission also visited multiple institutions, including the Government Primary Smart School in Kartarpur, Government Middle School, and various Anganwadi centers in Kansala, Boothgarh, and Manakpur Sharif. He emphasized the need of maintaining a Mid-Day Meal food Taste Register, ensuring cleanliness during food preparation and serving and checking the total dissolved solids (TDS) and quality of drinking water regularly.
Interacting with students, Dutt not only discussed the Mid-Day Meal menu but also shared meal with them, reinforcing the need for quality food in Schools. He directed health checkups of students and medical assessments for Mid-Day Meal workers to promote overall health.
Additionally, the Commission Member urged Anganwadi in-charges and Helpers to actively disseminate information abou the ongoing Government schemes to maximize beneficiary outreach. To facilitate communication, Dutt instructed that the helpline number of the Punjab State Food Commission; (9876764545) should be displayed prominently in all Government Schools and Anganwadi Centers, enabling beneficiaries to register complaints related to the National Food Security Act.