Bengal govt issues SOP for ISKCON mid-day meals
Kolkata, Aug 4
The West Bengal government on Tuesday notified a Standard Operating Procedure for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness regarding the serving of mid‑day meals in state‑run schools within the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
ISKCON had been entrusted by the state government with the task of arranging mid‑day meals at all state‑run schools within the KMC area with effect from August 1.
On Tuesday, the state school education department issued the SOP for ISKCON to ensure timely serving of mid‑day meals in these schools.
As per the SOP, mid‑day meals must be delivered to all schools in areas under KMC jurisdiction by 8:30 a.m. in the case of morning schools. For day schools, the meals should reach the premises by 1:30 p.m.
The SOP also directs that trucks carrying ISKCON‑arranged midday food must move through specific routes so that drivers are familiar with them. GPS tracking has been made mandatory in the trucks carrying such meals.
The teacher in charge of the school concerned will take the food account from the dedicated delivery staff and sign the challan, as directed by the SOP. Under no circumstances can the truck delivering food be parked within the school premises beyond a certain point of time.
The SOP further states that no state‑run school will be allowed to make abrupt changes in shift timings at the discretion of the school authorities. If necessary, a written application must be submitted by the school authorities to the nodal officer, giving reasons.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had already announced that while ISKCON will serve protein‑rich mid‑day meals in state‑run schools within the KMC jurisdiction, eggs will be provided separately twice a week for students by the state government through self‑help groups (SHGs).
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some accountability! The SOP is a welcome step. But why only KMC area? What about the rest of Bengal's schools? Children across the state deserve the same quality and punctuality.
The SOP mentions that trucks can't park inside school premises beyond a certain time. This is a good move for safety and crowd management. But I hope the government also monitors the quality of food, not just the logistics.
Giving eggs separately is a thoughtful touch, though it might ruffle a few feathers. 😄 But it's important that the nutritional needs of all kids are met, considering our diverse dietary practices. Hope the logistics for eggs are equally well-planned.
The standardization is nice, but I'm a bit concerned about the 'no abrupt changes in shift timings' rule. School authorities should have some flexibility if there's an emergency (like heavy rain). The SOP might be a bit too rigid.
It's good to see ISKCON being involved in such a noble cause. The mid-day meal scheme is crucial for many children. The SOP adds transparency, which is much needed. Kudos to the state government and ISKCON for their efforts! 👏
The SOP is a step in the
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.