ISKCON will manage mid-day meals in Kolkata; food budget hiked by ₹10 per student

In a landmark decision aimed at addressing long-standing grievances over school nutrition, West Bengal Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari announced that the international spiritual and social organization ISKCON will take responsibility for serving mid-day meals in Kolkata schools. The announcement was made during a high-profile press conference following the presentation of the West Bengal Budget 2026.

The decision comes as a direct response to a series of controversies and structural failures that plagued the mid-day meal system under the previous Trinamool Congress administration. Over the past few years, numerous complaints have emerged regarding severe food shortages and abysmal cooking conditions, with shocking reports of lizards and cockroaches being discovered in meals served to children. By partnering with ISKCON, which has a globally recognized reputation for running centralized, hygienic mega-kitchens, the state government aims to completely eliminate these health hazards from public schools.

Addressing potential cultural or religious concerns regarding the partnership, Chief Minister Adhikari clarified that the initiative is strictly administrative and welfare-driven, stating, "Don't say Hare Krishna if you don't want to." Alongside this management overhaul, the state government has officially raised the mid-day meal budgetary allocation to ₹10 per student to accommodate better ingredients. Additionally, as part of a broader institutional nutrition upgrade, the government has increased the food subsidy for patients in state-run public hospitals to ₹110, ensuring better meals across multiple public sectors.