Eggs to remain on mid-day meal menu in Kolkata schools: WB CM
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that eggs will remain part of the mid-day meal program in Kolkata schools, provided through self-help groups. This decision follows a compromise where ISKCON will supply vegetarian meals while the state government increases the per-student meal budget.
Why it matters
The integration of nutritional standards in school meals is a significant public policy issue that often intersects with cultural and political debates over dietary preferences.
Putting an end to the controversy over the alleged denial of eggs in mid-day meals for schoolchildren in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) said that while the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will provide protein-rich mid-day meals to children, eggs will be provided separately through self-help groups (SHGs).
“From August 1, as a pilot project, ‘satvik’ and protein-rich mid-day meals will be provided to children by ISKCON in large parts of Kolkata. Along with that, eggs will be provided to children through SHGs so that we can provide protein-rich meals to our future generations,” Mr. Adhikari said.
The Chief Minister had announced a few weeks ago that ISKCON would provide cooked meals to schools in Kolkata, raising concerns that eggs would be removed from mid-day meals at the schools where ISKCON would supply cooked food.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in