Idea launches Mid-Day Meal project in Odisha

Idea Cellular, Aditya Birla Group's telecom company, signed a memorandum of understanding with Akshaya Patra Foundation in Odisha for providing mid-day meals to school students in the state.

Around 47,000 students from 625 schools in 10 locations of the state would benefit through this initiative.

The objective of this mission is to provide children with nutritious meals every day and also ensure that they attend school daily, a company release said today.

This initiative was launched in Bijaya Ramchandrapur UGUP School in Puri district and Khannagar Nodal UP School in Cuttack district through two separate events organised recently by the Idea team in Odisha, it said.

According to Someshwar Rao, Odisha Circle Head of Idea Cellular, helping provide nutritional meals on all school days to children from families living in the hinterland, families who are unable to have even one square meal, is sure to make a difference.

Rabindranath Routray, Head Master at Khannagar Nodal UP School, lauded the Idea team's efforts, especially the drawing competitions organised for the students. "The interactive event and unexpected gifts were a definite plus for the children, during Idea's launch of the mid-day meal programme", he added.

Sujata Mishra, Head Mistress of Bijaya Ramchandrapur UGUP School welcomed the initiative, adding the engagement by the Idea team would increase the children's motivational level, the release added.