Odisha Offers Ex-Gratia for School Cook-Cum-Helpers

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has announced a one-time ex-gratia benefit of ₹1 lakh for the next of kin of Cook-cum-Helpers working in government schools under the PM POSHAN programme, in the event of their death during the service period.

The School and Mass Education Department issued a notification stating that the move aims to provide social security to these workers. The ex-gratia amount will be transferred directly to the bank account of the claimant(s) through RTGS/NEFT.

PM POSHAN, a centrally sponsored scheme, is implemented in Odisha to improve the nutritional status of children in Classes I-VIII in government and government-aided schools. The honorarium for Cook-cum-Helpers is funded through the scheme’s budget, as revised periodically by the government.

The ex-gratia expenditure will be borne from the state budget under state support for PM POSHAN and is effective from the date of notification.