West Bengal: Number of students receiving better mid-day meals to increase from 45,000 to one lakh..

West Bengal Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Thursday that higher-quality mid-day meals under the PM Poshan Scheme would now be provided to a larger number of students. Starting October 1, the scheme's coverage will expand from 45,000 to 100,000 students. Adhikari stated on the social media platform X that the state government is committed to providing high-quality, balanced, and nutritious meals in a hygienic environment to all students in government schools. Addressing nutritional deficiencies among children is a priority for the government.

He explained that the scheme is being implemented in collaboration with the 'Annamrita Foundation,' an affiliate of ISKCON. Meals for the students will be prepared in modern, centralized kitchens.

**Project launched for 30,000 students in the first phase**

Adhikari said, "On August 1, under the first phase of the project, the responsibility of preparing and delivering nutritious meals to approximately 30,000 students across the state was entrusted to a modern, centralized kitchen." He noted that the organization demonstrated responsibility by preparing food using automated and hygienic processes, maintaining prescribed calorie and protein levels, and ensuring timely delivery to schools.

He added, "Based on the initial success, the state government expanded the service to include an additional 15,000 students. Consequently, a total of 45,000 students are currently benefiting from these high-quality mid-day meals."

Adhikari announced that another phase of the scheme would commence on October 1, extending the benefit to 100,000 students. He stated that the government plans to gradually extend this initiative to students in all government and government-aided schools across the state.

**Eggs included in the mid-day meal scheme**

Adhikari also thanked the officials of the 'Annamrita Foundation' for delivering services efficiently while maintaining the "highest standards." Following the change in government, the state administration had announced in its first budget that the responsibility for supplying mid-day meals to schools in Kolkata would be entrusted to ISKCON. The government had stated that if the 'Kolkata model' proved successful, the initiative could subsequently be expanded to other parts of the state. The program was launched in select schools in Kolkata in August, with ISKCON operating a centralized kitchen to prepare and distribute the meals.

The initiative later faced criticism regarding certain issues, including delays in meal delivery and the provision of vegetarian food. Subsequently, the government made a separate decision to provide eggs to students under the school meal program, an arrangement that remains in effect.

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