West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday announced that boiled eggs will continue to be included in the mid-day meal programme for students of government, aided, and sponsored schools across the state. The announcement came after discussions surrounding the introduction of an all-vegetarian menu following the involvement of ISKCON in providing school meals.
Speaking at a press conference at the state secretariat Nabanna, Adhikari said ISKCON will continue supplying vegetarian, protein-rich meals as part of the mid-day meal initiative, while the state government will arrange for self-help groups (SHGs) to provide boiled eggs separately to students. The new arrangement will come into effect from August 1.
Adhikari explained that ISKCON’s role will remain focused on preparing and distributing vegetarian meals, while the additional egg supply will ensure students receive a balanced diet with adequate protein. He said the eggs will be provided as a supplement to the regular mid-day meal once or twice a week through self-help group workers.
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The decision follows an earlier announcement by the BJP-led West Bengal government to hand over the responsibility of serving meals to lakhs of school students to ISKCON. The initial plan of providing only vegetarian meals had sparked debate over the removal of eggs from the menu, which have traditionally been part of school nutrition programmes in the state.
The chief minister said the model was inspired by systems followed in other states, including Odisha, where ISKCON provides mid-day meals in several locations. He added that ISKCON currently operates meal programmes across 22 cities in India and that West Bengal has adopted a similar approach while making additional arrangements for egg distribution.
Along with the menu changes, the state government has also increased funding for the mid-day meal programme. Adhikari said the allocation for primary school students has been raised from Rs 6.78 per meal to Rs 10, bringing it in line with the amount provided for high schools and upper primary schools. The additional expenses for providing eggs will be covered by the state government.
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