The West Bengal government has clarified that eggs will continue to be served to students under the mid-day meal programme, even as ISKCON begins supplying cooked meals to government and government-aided schools in Kolkata from August 1.
Under the pilot project, ISKCON will prepare and supply vegetarian satvik meals, while eggs will be distributed separately through self-help groups. The government said the arrangement is intended to ensure that students continue to receive a protein-rich diet without altering the existing nutrition policy.
The clarification comes after the government's decision to involve ISKCON in the mid-day meal programme sparked political debate. Opposition leaders had expressed concerns that introducing a vegetarian menu could result in eggs being removed from school meals, arguing that this would affect the nutritional value of the programme.
Responding to the criticism, the state government reiterated that there has been no change in its policy regarding eggs. It stated that while ISKCON will provide the cooked vegetarian meals, self-help groups will continue to distribute eggs separately as part of the weekly menu.
According to the government, the pilot project will initially be implemented in most government and government-aided schools in Kolkata from August 1. Officials said the initiative aims to maintain students' nutritional intake while introducing a new model for meal preparation and distribution. The controversy has also renewed discussions on the role of eggs in school nutrition programmes. Eggs have long been included in West Bengal's mid-day meals as an affordable source of protein for students. With the latest clarification, the government has sought to assure parents and schools that the nutritional component of the programme will remain unchanged while the pilot project is rolled out.
