Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari unveils ISKCON mid-day meal rollout, eggs to be served separately

Stepping up to a traditional yajna before stirring the day’s cooking pot, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari inaugurated ISKCON’s sprawling new central kitchen in Kolkata on Saturday, launching a revamped mid-day meal project for state schools.

Operating under ISKCON’s Annamrita Foundation, the Taratala facility will serve fresh, nutritious lunches to 44,000 students across 500 city schools starting August 1. Following the opening ceremonies, the Chief Minister flagged off a fleet of electric vehicles tasked with delivering the meals across the capital.

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Addressing the gathering, Adhikari clarified that the state will separately distribute eggs to students — a move driven purely by public feedback rather than political pressure.

"The menu of ISKCON meals includes dal, rajma, soya bean and paneer, all of which have high protein content and, with the additional seasonal fruits, make up for the wholesome nutrition of students. We chose to provide eggs separately because students and guardians requested a non-veg item," he said.

Adhikari brushed off criticisms over the meal composition, leaning on his government's strong legislative mandate.

"We will do what the people ask us and not what the opposition or some media person tells us to do. We already have the people's blessing with 208 MLAs," he said.

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The Kolkata pilot marks the first phase of a broader rollout. Adhikari outlined plans to expand the initiative to 2.5 lakh students within three months, with the ultimate goal of covering every school in West Bengal. To support the scale-up, the government has increased budgetary allocations for pre-primary and primary sections to ₹10 per meal per student.

Reflecting on the cultural shift in dietary habits, the Chief Minister noted that changing food preferences takes time, pointing out that public mindsets had been wired in a particular manner under previous regimes.