Taste of Kakkanad Jail on laurels of recognition; acquires 'Eat Right Campus' certificate

KOCHI: The inmates of Kakanad District Jail, who are famous for their biryani-chappati supremacy, have received the 'Eat Right Campus' certificate from the Central Government. Kakanad also has the honour of being the first jail in the state to receive central recognition for excellence in food safety. The award is given by the Food Safety and Standards Authority under the Central Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Kakkanad Jail became part of the competition last February. Jail Assistant Superintendent Elias Varghese led the way. The aim of the scheme is to promote the provision of unadulterated food in places where people spend most of their time like colleges, universities, institutions, workplaces, hospitals, prisons and tea plantations.

Food Safety Department had provided them with training by examining the stages of enrollment, self-assessment, training, audit and certification. The approval was given after evaluating the performance.

32 inmates, two shifts

Branded curry powders, quality oil and live chicken are used for cooking. 32 prisoners work in two shifts from 3 am to 5.30 pm. Twenty thousand chapatis are cooked daily. 300 chicken biryani are sold on a daily basis. Staff are selected for the kitchen on the basis of interest in cooking, cleanliness, health and character.

Profit: Rs.4 Lakhs

• Turnover per month: 25-32 lakhs
• Monthly profit: 3-4 lakh rupees
• Average turnover per day- Rs.1 Lakh
• Daily wage of Prisoners- Rs.170
• Sales through freedom food stall in jail and five sales centers in Kochi

"The award was given on the basis of criteria such as quality of food, cleanliness and accurate income and expenditure figures. Kakkanad Jail ranks third at the state level and first at the district level among government institutions in terms of food quality".

- Raju Abraham, District Jail Superintendent