Kazan City Duma deputies discussed the problems of school feeding

(Kazan City KZN.RU, January 21). The question of organization of qualified and affordable school feeding in Kazan is one of the priorities of the city authorities. Despite the fact that in recent years it was possible to make a significant leap forward on this issue, covering schools with hot meals almost completely, there are still a number of problems. Discussing them with deputies at the meeting of the IV session of Kazan City Duma, which took place today in Kazan City Hall, Mayor Ilsur Metshin instructed to solve all important problems together with the parents of students.

As Director of Municipal Unitary Enterprise "Department of food and social meals of Kazan" Guzel Ananieva reported, today sharply raises the question of re-equipment and modernization of technological equipment in the catering departments of educational institutions. Staffing at schools is averaged to 80%, and in kindergartens - 50%. Most institutions of Kazan require capital repairs and reconstruction of kitchens and canteens. G.Ananeva noted that it will be impossible to solve the problem without investments. Mayor supported the initiative for the development and adoption of a new municipal program of social supply in Kazan, which should cover not only schools, but also pre-schools and other socially significant objects. "Now a program approach is needed to further improve the system of food in schools, kindergartens and hospitals", - said I. Metshin.

The whole experience in school feeding is needed in health care. Now the Department successfully implements the organization of the individual food supply of patients of Republican Clinical Hospital. Considering the low level of equipment of kitchens and the need to overhaul of the premises with modern equipment, as well as the high cost of maintenance of catering, G.Ananeva noted the need to consider the possibility of transmission of nutrition in health facilities on outsourcing.

Another significant problem in the field of social supply is lack of personnel, which is a consequence of low salaries, heavy physical labor, and the unpopularity of the profession of cook. To solve this problem G.Ananeva proposed to find measures that will attract the younger generation, for example - to provide young professionals with housing.

The question of cost of nutrition in schools and creation of a single menu are no less noteworthy. In Kazan today the lowest cost of catering among megacities was set, according G.Ananeva, holding of this position until now was managed due to internal resources. For example, in 2014 the cost of food has not increased, and in the spring of 2015 the cost of breakfast has increased for 2 rubles, the cost of dinner – for 6 rubles. However, food prices with January 2015 increased by 25%, to ensure a proper diet for the same money is no longer possible. "Keeping such rates - breakfast for 19 rubles and dinner for 49 rubles - is impossible to feed the children fully. Please note that only the cost of normalized set of products for it is 32 rubles,"- G.Ananeva said.

Due to the low cost of the dinners, the menu is made in consideration with the cost of the food, not with  physiological needs of children in the biologically valuable substances and reduces the amount of food, which, moreover, does not correspond to the caloric content. Giving priority to children's health, it is necessary to go to a slight increase in the cost of school meals, G.Ananeva said. In turn, the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin noted that no new rules will be accepted without consulting with parents and teachers. "School feeding involves a great number of Kazan residents, and it is necessary to make decisions together with the teaching staff, the directors, students and parents," - said I. Metshin.

As G.Ananeva reported, from January 1, in kindergartens a single menu was implemented and this measure is necessary to enter at all the social institutions of the city, taking the supply of citizens under control. The Mayor endorsed the need for control over the quality of food. "We need a clear plan for the work at each institution, and raise the bar of responsibility of the management of schools, kindergartens, hospitals - I. Metshin charged. - There is a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, which defines health as the most important priority of the state and puts it in direct dependence on food supply, starting with infants. Approved concept poses new challenges for the organization of food supply, and we are ready for this".