Assam government issues fresh guidelines for PM POSHAN cooks

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam government has issued comprehensive guidelines for the engagement, re-engagement and discontinuation of cook-cum-helpers (CCHs) under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme, making prior approval of the district commissioners mandatory for terminating their services.

Issued by the Department of School Education, the guidelines aim to ensure transparency, fairness and uniformity in the engagement and management of CCHs responsible for preparing and serving midday meals to students in eligible schools across the state.

Under the prescribed norms, schools with enrolment of up to 25 students will be eligible for one CCH, while those with 26 to 100 students can engage two. One additional CCH may be engaged for every additional 100 students. The admissible number will be determined on the basis of enrolment recorded in official school records, the PM POSHAN MIS web portal or the Shiksha Setu App, as verified by the competent authority.

The guidelines specify that school management committees (SMCs) and school management and development committees (SMDCs) will be responsible for engaging CCHs, subject to prior approval from the competent authority. The engagement will be purely temporary and restricted to schools covered under the PM POSHAN scheme.

Candidates must be Indian citizens aged between 21 and 60 years, physically fit and free from infectious or contagious diseases. Preference may be given to women, particularly widows, deserted women and single women, as well as candidates from economically weaker sections.

Spouses, sons, daughters or dependent family members of the headmaster or headmistress, teachers, or members of the SMC/SMDC of the concerned school will not be eligible for engagement.

For fresh engagement, the SMC/SMDC must submit a written proposal to the block nodal officer, PM POSHAN. After verifying student enrolment and the admissibility of the proposed engagement, the officer will forward the proposal to the assistant district nodal officer for examination. Approval will be granted only if the proposal meets the prescribed norms and budget is available.

The entire approval process is to be completed within 10 days of receipt of the proposal.

The guidelines also lay down provisions for the continuation of existing CCHs following the reconstitution of SMCs and SMDCs. Their existing engagement will remain valid until the newly constituted committees complete the re-engagement process.

Ordinarily, all existing CCHs will be re-engaged. However, if their number exceeds the permissible limit based on student enrolment, the committee must retain only the admissible number.

The guidelines further stipulate that CCHs suffering from infectious diseases must not handle food until medically declared fit. In cases where a worker is suspected of having a condition that permanently renders them unfit for duty, the matter must undergo medical examination and scrutiny by the designated authorities before any termination decision is taken.

The district commissioner's prior approval will be compulsory for termination or discontinuation of a CCH's engagement. In autonomous council areas, the approval of the principal secretary concerned will be required.

The state nodal officer, PM POSHAN, Assam, will be responsible for interpreting the guidelines, while the state government retains the authority to issue clarifications, amendments or relaxations in the public interest.

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