Speaking at the first State-level convention of cooks at Bangalore on Monday, the Minister said a pilot project is underway at the Channarayapattna ITI for girls where Taj Westend Hotel has been offering a course in catering and hotel management on a public-private-partnership. “From next year onwards we will see that the course is extended to other ITIs.

We want skill development programme for the cooks in catering industry,” said Bache Gowda.

The Minister noted that the cooks had no platform to air their grievances. He said the State has 90 lakh workers in the unorganised sector including cooks. Suggesting cooks to obtain licences from competent authorities, Gowda said he would ensure that cooks too get benefits of schemes such as Rashtriya Bima Yojana, Vajpayee Sri Yojana etc.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda who arrived late to the function said the State Government would ensure cooks get the benefits meant for workers of unorganised sector. 

He said a welfare board for the unorganised sector was constituted in 2009-10 and a sum of Rs 24 crore has been released so far. “Smart cards are being issued to workers in unorganised sector. About 30,000 workers have enrolled for health insurance scheme,” he said. ‘Nalapaaka Praveena’ awards were also presented.

DHNS