BENGAL EXPANDS IMPROVED MIDDAY MEAL PROGRAMME, TARGETING ONE LAKH STUDENTS FROM OCTOBER 1

September 17, 2026

KOLKATA — West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Thursday that the state government will expand the coverage of improved, high-nutrition midday meals under the PM POSHAN scheme, setting a target to serve 1,000,000 students across state-run and state-aided schools starting October 1.

Speaking via social media, the Chief Minister confirmed that the enhanced nutritional model—currently benefiting 45,000 students—is being executed in partnership with the Annamrita Foundation (an ISKCON-affiliated charitable organization) using modern centralized automated kitchens.

·         Phased Scale-Up and Operational Milestones:

o Pilot Launch: The initiative began on August 1 as a pilot project covering approximately 30,000 children in government schools across Kolkata through hygienic, centralized cooking facilities.

o Phase Expansion: Following initial operational success in maintaining strict protein-and-calorie benchmarks and timely delivery, the initiative was recently expanded to cover 45,000 students across nearly 500 schools.

o October 1 Target: The state administration plans to more than double the footprint within two weeks, expanding coverage to 100,000 students before systematically scaling it across every government school in West Bengal.

·         Quality Controls and Standard Operating Procedures:

o Centralized Preparation: Automated kitchens operate under strict food safety and hygiene protocols, ensuring automated preparation and thermal packing to eliminate contamination risks.

o Nutritional Benchmarks: Prepared meals strictly comply with prescribed daily caloric, protein, and micro-nutrient standards to tackle developmental gaps and child malnutrition.

The announcement forms part of the state's broader institutional effort to reform school nutrition infrastructure and elevate public healthcare indicators across West Bengal