GCC to privatize CM breakfast scheme

CHENNAI: The Chief Minister's breakfast scheme was encouraged by the increase in the attendance of school students in city corporation limits. On Wednesday, a resolution passed during the council meeting said that Chennai Corporation will privatize breakfast schemes in 358 government, corporation and adidravidar elementary schools for a year.

A total of Rs 19 crore per annum is spent on breakfast programs for students in Chennai. As many as 66,030 students have been benefited every year. The civic body proposed to form a committee under the deputy commissioner (education) Sharanya Ari to carry out this work through outsource.

The Chennai Corporation will float tenders to privatize the breakfast scheme for the school students, noted a resolution. The civic authorities have issued instructions for the private contractors that the schools selected for CM breakfast scheme should be provided with uniform breakfast as per the food list provided by the education department of GCC. It should not be altered for any reason without the prior approval of Chennai Corporation.

The number of meals to be cooked daily should be obtained from the concerned assistant education officer. Breakfast should be served at school at 8 am and there should be no delay. The resolution stated that no refund will be made for meals served after 8 am.

Further, a penalty as determined by the committee will also be imposed.

"Amount of ingredients for breakfast provided per student per day is 50 grams of rice/semolina/wheat semolina /locally grown small grains and dals for sambar is 15 gram and vegetables. Since Friday is a holiday for Islamic schools and Saturday is a school working day, the meals to be served on Friday should be provided to those schools on Saturday. Similarly, Pongal with vegetable sambar to be served on Wednesday in case the government declares Saturday as a school working day, " added the resolution passed in the council meeting.

The quality of ingredients used to prepare breakfast should be as per FSSAI norms. The ingredients to prepare breakfast must be hygiene and free from any extraneous substance.

Also, 41 restrictions have been imposed to avoid cooking with processed foods.

In case of late delivery of low quality of food, raw materials, vegetables, vehicles not covered while transporting food to schools, kitchen not maintained properly. A fine amount of Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 will be imposed against the contractor. The decision will also be passed that the contract will be cancelled if it goes more than three times.

Some ward councillors voiced their concern against the decision of Chennai Corporation to privatize the breakfast scheme. However, the mayor explained that the other districts, except Chennai had been providing breakfast to the school students through private parties. "So, as per the instructions we have floated tender for the same," she said.