Mohali : Vijay Dutt today said that developing kitchen gardens in government schools can help provide natural and nutritious food to children. He made the remarks while conducting a surprise inspection of government schools and ration depots in Block Kharar-1 of the district to review the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). During the inspection, Dutt closely examined the quality of mid-day meals being served to students, the cleanliness of school kitchens, safe storage of food materials and the overall hygiene arrangements in the premises. He instructed the authorities concerned to ensure that staff members involved in preparing mid-day meals undergo regular health check-ups so that safe and hygienic food can be provided to children.
Interacting with students during the visit, Dutt also enquired about the quality of food being served under the mid-day meal scheme. In a gesture of encouragement, he sat with the children and shared the meal with them. He further directed officials to ensure regular testing of drinking water quality in schools so that students always have access to safe and clean water.
Emphasising the importance of kitchen gardens, Dutt said schools should grow vegetables such as carrots, radishes, mint and other green vegetables on their premises. According to him, fresh produce grown within the school campus can significantly improve the nutritional value of meals served to students.
He also pointed out that simple initiatives, such as providing soup or water mixed with radish and carrot leaves, can offer significant health benefits to children without requiring additional expenditure. These small but effective measures, he said, can help strengthen the nutritional intake of students. Dutt added that the Punjab State Food Commission would extend support to schools in developing kitchen gardens.
He stated that if assistance from the Horticulture Department is required, the administration has already been instructed to facilitate it.
Apart from inspecting schools, he also visited government ration depots in the area. During the visit, he examined the quality of food grains being distributed to beneficiaries, checked stock registers and reviewed the overall distribution system. He warned that any irregularity in the distribution of ration would not be tolerated.
Dutt further directed that the helpline and complaint number of the Punjab State Food Commission — 9876-764545 — must be prominently displayed in all government schools, Anganwadi centres and ration depots so that beneficiaries can easily lodge complaints if needed.
After completing the inspection, he stressed that any negligence regarding children’s nutrition, health and food safety would invite strict action against the responsible officials.
