India, Aug. 7 -- In a significant step to enhance food safety in schools, the Maharashtra government has issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana. The SOPs aim to prevent incidents of food poisoning and lay out strict responsibilities for school authorities, teachers, cooks, education officers, and food safety departments to ensure that meals served to students from Classes 1 to 8 are hygienic, nutritious, and safe.

According to the new guidelines, school management committees (SMCs) must verify the quality and expiry dates of food supplies, including rice, oil, and spices, before accepting them from vendors. Grains must be stored above ground level in clean, pest-free...