India’s First Integrated Kitchen in Kadapa Serves Nutritious Meals to 2,000+ Children

Speedy Summary

• India’s frist integrated smart kitchen in Kadapa district is serving nutritious meals to 2,200 children from 12 State-funded schools under the Dokka Seethamma mid-day meal scheme.
• The state-of-the-art facility includes a modern kitchen,warehouse,cutlery provision,mini solar power unit for energy generation,and methane gas production using leftover food and vegetable peels.
• It operates under a ‘hub-and-spoke model’ and activities are monitored through a mobile app.
• ₹10 lakh funding for the initiative came from Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s personal funds and the district development fund.
• The project aims to improve school attendance and academic performance by alleviating concerns related to lunch arrangements at schools.
• Pawan Kalyan conceptualized the smart kitchen during his visit to Kadapa Municipal Corporation high School in 2024 after observing challenges with conventional cooking methods used by staff.
• A diverse menu of healthy options is offered weekly, including rice dishes, eggs daily, ragi porridge on select days along with jaggery Pongal and chikki treats.

Quotes from beneficiaries:
– Kavya Sri (7th grade) shared her enjoyment of diverse menu options.
– Shaik Mohammad Mahir Basha (8th grade) thanked his favorite actor Pawan Kalyan for enhancing student meals.
– Ruth Arogya Mary (English teacher) noted a significant drop in students bringing food carriers due to improved school lunches.

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