Smart Kitchens Are Improving School Meals and Creating Jobs - Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education and IT, Nara Lokesh, strongly defended the government's Smart Kitchen initiative in government schools, rejecting allegations made by former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Lokesh said the Smart Kitchens are providing students with hygienic, nutritious, and quality mid-day meals while also creating employment opportunities for women and economically weaker sections. He stated that the pilot project in YSR Kadapa district has been implemented successfully without affecting the jobs of existing cook-cum-helpers.

The minister said all 233 cook-cum-helpers working in the five pilot Smart Kitchens in YSR Kadapa district continue in their roles, while additional Smart Kitchens will create new employment opportunities, including posts for head cooks, assistant cooks, helpers, and drivers. He also clarified that honorariums for all 3,450 cook-cum-helpers in the district had been paid up to April 2026, noting that no payments are made during the summer vacation in May and that June payments are yet to become due. Lokesh accused Jagan of making baseless allegations and asserted that the initiative is aimed at improving nutrition and food quality for schoolchildren.