West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday announced his government will separately provide eggs to students in mid-day meal, though the responsibility of cooking and supplying meals in all government and government-aided schools in Kolkata would be undertaken by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as a pilot project from August 1.
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“A pilot project will be launched from August 1 in which ISKCON will provide pure, satvik and protein-rich food in mid-day meals in schools in a large part of Kolkata. Eggs will be separately served in the mid-day meal by Self Help Groups (SHGs),” said Adhikari.
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Speaking at a School Composite Grant distribution programme held in the state secretariat Nabanna, Adhikari put to rest the prevailing uncertainty over including eggs in students’ meals in the wake of the Opposition allegation that the BJP-ruled state is trying to impose vegetarian diets on students.
Also read: ISKCON to provide midday meals in schools in Kolkata, parts of Bengal from Aug 1: Suvendu Adhikari
The government also announced providing financial assistance of over ₹296 crore to a total of 80,375 state-run schools from the event.
On June 22 this year, more than a month after coming to power, the BJP government said ISKCON would serve cooked meals in schools across West Bengal. It was announced by finance minister Swapan Dasgupta in his budget speech.
“A month ago, we had asked for eggs not to be removed from mid-day meals for children in Bengal. Then came the big talk. Today, eggs are back announced the CM,” Derek O’Brien, TMC MP wrote on X on Wednesday.
Dipak Barman, state school education minister, said, “We will serve eggs once or twice a week.”
