Kolkata: The state Food Processing Industries and Horticulture (FPI&H) department has taken up a scheme for extending support in developing kitchen gardens in schools across the state. The move is aimed at making children more familiar with nature and to encourage them in cultivation of papayas, bananas and different kinds of vegetables in their own school premises.
"In a number of rural schools there are open spaces that have been lying unutilised for decades. These vacant lands will be utilised in creation of the kitchen gardens. The initiative has already kicked off in 28 schools of West Midnapore district and will surely gain momentum post Covid when students will be back for their classes," said a senior official of FPI&H department.
To begin with, schools in West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia and Bankura will be covered under the kitchen garden initiative.
"The move will support the midday meal scheme in a big way as vegetables and fruits grown in the school itself can be provided to the students. It will also add to the nutritional value of the midday meal that is offered to the students," said an official of the School Education department. The Horticulture department that will be extending support in the form of providing the planting material and labour for the scheme will be spending around Rs 50,000 per school in the first phase in which more than 100 schools will be taken up. The cultivation, watering and other aspects will be the responsibility of the respective schools.
The district administration, particularly from Purulia and Bankura districts, had shown interest in the scheme of the Horticulture department and have started taking measures to begin the same in full swing through the support of the district inspectors of schools and the respective headmasters.