Bhubaneswar: At a time when the State Government of Odisha prioritizes 5T (Team, Technology, Transparency, Time and Transformation) in all its activities, Mid-Day Meal scheme run by School & Mass Education Department bagged the Outlook Poshan special jury award 2019 in the category of science and technology for the SMS-based monitoring application.
Founded by Outlook magazine group, Outlook Poshan Innovation Awards acknowledge the exemplary efforts of individuals and organisations in the field of nutrition. The award was received by the State Nodal Officer, MDM, Odisha from the Vice President of India in a special event organised in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on the 3rd August 2019.
The jury among others comprised Dr Rajesh Kumar, IAS, former Director, Poshan Abhiyan, Government of India, Alok Kumar, IAS, Advisor, NITI Aayog, Chef Sanjeev Kumar, Padma Shri Awardee and Dr Hemalatha, Director, National Institute of Nutrition.
Mid-Day Meal Odisha monitoring application aims to bring transparency in the management of MDM in the state. Implemented since last one and half a year, this helps in monitoring of MDM on daily basis and other periodic services such as distribution of IFA tablets and attendance of cook cum helpers engaged for preparation of MDM.
The application works on the SMS sent by designate school teachers on school working days after the attendance of students is taken. It is available in the public domain and has facilitated better planning for uninterrupted service of MDM to school children across 60,000 schools in Odisha.
The other recipients of the award this year included Prof. Ms Swaminathan, Odisha Livelihoods Mission in the category of safe and nutritious food, NHM, Haryana for policy and governance.
