School nutrition

Beneficiary Criteria of the Scheme: Under the Sholay Nutrition Scheme, school nutritional meals are provided to students of 1st to 8th standard during the mid-term break. The scheme is made for central and state government schools, local government schools, government-approved aided schools as well as for non-resident students in government and government-aided ashram schools. Objectives of the scheme: - Universalization of primary education, increase in enrolment and attendance in schools, prevention of dropout of students after noon, focus of students on studies, elimination of discrimination in religion, caste and gender, Nature of the scheme: - In Palghar district, 234739 students from 2375 Zilla Parishad and private aided schools in eight talukas take advantage of school nutritional meals. Out of these, 67578 students from a total of 953 schools in Wada, Palghar and Vikramgad talukas are being supplied with school nutritional meals prepared by the ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, an NGO, from the central kitchens of Wada and Palghar respectively. In Palghar in November 2006, in Wada in January 2001 and in 8 schools in Vikramgad since December 2012 till date, food is being provided by ISKCON Food Relief Foundation from the central kitchens in Wada and Palghar respectively. In the remaining 1422 schools, 167161 students are being provided school nutritious meals cooked by self-help groups and needy women at the local level.