UP Cooks Get ₹1,000 Hike, 1.46 Crore Children Benefit

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a significant hike in the honorarium of cooks working under the PM Poshan Yojana, a scheme that provides hot, fresh, and nutritious meals to over 1.46 crore children in the state.

The hike of ₹1,000 will take the monthly honorarium of cooks to ₹3,000. This decision was made by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who has been working to strengthen the dignity, health, and financial security of cooks in the state.

The PM Poshan Yojana covers 1.42 lakh primary and upper primary schools in UP, providing children with 450 calories of energy and 12 grams of protein daily at the primary level, and 700 calories of energy and 20 grams of protein daily at the upper primary level. The state government also provides fresh and seasonal fruits to children once a week, as well as milk on Wednesdays.

Of the approximately 3.53 lakh cooks working under the scheme, 93% are women. The state government has been working to improve their working conditions and provide them with better benefits. In addition to the hike in honorarium, cooks will also receive ₹500 for two uniforms, which will be transferred directly to their bank accounts once every year through DBT.

The UP government has also developed kitchen gardens in schools to connect children with nature and enhance the nutritional value of meals. Fruits and vegetables grown in these gardens are used in meals as additional nutrition.

A total of 136 centralized kitchens are operational in 25 districts of the state, providing hot and fresh meals to approximately 10 lakh children. The state government has partnered with organizations such as the Akshaya Patra Foundation to ensure the success of the scheme.

Regular social audits are being conducted to ensure transparency and quality in the scheme. The state government is committed to providing nutritious meals to children and improving their overall health and well-being.

The PM Poshan Yojana is a significant initiative by the government to improve the health and nutrition of children in the state. With the hike in honorarium and other benefits, cooks will be able to provide better services to children, and the scheme is expected to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of children in UP.

The decision to hike the honorarium of cooks is a welcome move, and it is expected to benefit not only the cooks but also the children who receive meals under the scheme. The UP government's commitment to the scheme is evident from the fact that it has been working to improve the working conditions and benefits of cooks, and it is expected to continue to work towards providing nutritious meals to children in the state.

In conclusion, the hike in honorarium of cooks working under the PM Poshan Yojana is a significant decision that will benefit 1.46 crore children in UP. The state government's commitment to the scheme is evident from the fact that it has been working to improve the working conditions and benefits of cooks, and it is expected to continue to work towards providing nutritious meals to children in the state.