Puri Schools to Receive ₹98.15 Crore for Meals, Books & Uniforms

In a significant boost to education infrastructure, the Odisha government has allocated Rs 98.15 crore for schools in Puri district over the next two financial years.

The funds will cover mid-day meals, textbooks, and uniforms, ensuring better support for students across the district.

School & Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond announced the allocation in the Odisha Assembly, detailing that Rs 61.32 crore will be spent on mid-day meals, Rs 7.61 crore on textbooks, and Rs 29.22 crore on uniforms.

Currently, 1,271 schools prepare meals under the PM Poshan/MM Poshan Yojana, while 783 schools are supported by Akshaya Patra Foundation’s central kitchen.

Textbooks will be supplied by the Directorate of Textbook Production and Marketing (TBPM), Bhubaneswar.

Uniforms will be distributed through Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) and MSME units, selected by block-level committees and approved by district-level committees chaired by the Collector.

This initiative is expected to strengthen both educational outcomes and local employment opportunities, particularly through the involvement of WSHGs and MSMEs.