Malkangiri, 3rd Sept 2025: In a unique initiative, District Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay has started a campaign to personally monitor and ensure the quality of the midday meal provided in schools across the district.
On Monday, after conducting a public grievance hearing, the Collector visited Padmagiri SSD High School to inspect the midday meal’s quality. During the visit, he also reviewed the teaching process and interacted with students to understand their needs and challenges. He inspected the school premises and ongoing development work.
To guarantee that students receive nutritious and quality food, the Collector issued strict instructions to all responsible officials. In a first-of-its-kind move, district- and sub-divisional-level officers are now also tasting the food themselves to ensure it meets required standards.
Following the grievance hearing in Padmagiri Panchayat, officials fanned out across nearby schools — including Kharapalli Upper Primary School (inspected by the DSP), Talasahi School (inspected by the Sub-Collector), and others like Sindhrimal, Bantiguda, Jaduguda, Bilapari, etc. — to sample the food.
District Education Officer Chitta Ranjan Panigrahi confirmed that in the coming days, this initiative will be extended to all schools across the district to ensure taste, quality, and hygiene in the midday meal scheme.