ISKCON begins mid-day meal service in West Bengal schools; Eggs to be served separately twice a week

New Delhi: The West Bengal government has launched an ISKCON-managed mid-day meal programme in government schools, with the initiative inaugurated at a newly established community kitchen in Taratala. The project aims to provide hygienic and nutritious vegetarian meals to students under the PM POSHAN scheme.

Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the initiative would directly benefit students from economically weaker and middle-income families. He also announced an increase in the cooking cost allocation under the mid-day meal scheme to improve the quality of food served in schools.

The vegetarian menu prepared by ISKCON will include rice, khichdi or pulao, paneer or cottage cheese, soybeans, vegetables, sweets and seasonal fruits. According to the government, the meals are designed to provide balanced nutrition while adhering to ISKCON’s dietary traditions.

Responding to criticism over the absence of eggs in the ISKCON-prepared meals, Adhikari said the organisation follows a long-standing vegetarian food policy and would not be asked to compromise on its principles. However, he clarified that the state government would separately provide boiled eggs to students twice a week through self-help groups, similar to the model followed in Odisha.

The government said the arrangement ensures that students continue to receive additional protein while allowing ISKCON to prepare meals in accordance with its religious and institutional practices.