The Centre on Monday said it has taken note of multiple food and water contamination incidents in government school hostels in Andhra Pradesh and that special inspections have been carried out across all state-run hostels following recent cases of students falling ill.
Responding to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary noted that while the Centre implements the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) scheme in partnership with states and Union Territories, the day-to-day administration of hostels and school kitchens rests with the state governments.
The minister said the reported cases involved issues such as unclean RO plants, stagnant water tanks, and unhygienic kitchen facilities. According to information received from the state, students were admitted to hospitals immediately and were discharged safely after treatment.
PM Poshan Guidelines Already In Place, Says Centre
The Centre has already issued comprehensive safety, hygiene and quality guidelines under the scheme. These include instructions to procure Agmark-certified ingredients, train cook-cum-helpers, test food samples through accredited laboratories, and ensure meal tasting by school management committee members before serving and handwashing protocols for all school children.
Guidelines also encourage states to include locally produced millets, vegetables, and condiments in meals and to organise cooking competitions to promote varied and nutritious meals.
Andhra Pradesh Issued SOPs For Hostels After Incidents
Following the recent contamination incidents, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to strengthen hostel safety standards.
The SOP covers child safety, food and water safety, cleaning of water tanks, maintenance of RO plants, hygiene practices, reporting of untoward incidents and crisis management. Additional guidelines have also been put in place for the safety and well-being of girls residing in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs).
FSSAI Steps In With Food Safety Tools
To support food safety efforts, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has prepared a Food Safety Guidebook for teachers and students and created a digital playlist titled 'How to check for adulteration". Mobile Food Safety on Wheels vans have also been deployed to conduct training and awareness sessions in remote areas.
The Ministry added that states observe Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada annually, organising activities related to nutrition, hygiene, and healthy eating, such as rallies, school-level competitions, and awareness campaigns.
States Asked To Ensure Strict Compliance
Though the Centre reiterated the importance of adhering to the PM-POSHAN guidelines, it did not announce any new centralised inspection mechanism. It emphasised that operational responsibility remains with state administrations.
