Eggs to remain on mid-day meal menu in Kolkata schools: WB CM

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.

Members of Opposition parties in West Bengal, including former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had raised questions over why schoolchildren were being deprived of eggs, which are a good source of protein.

The decision to entrust ISKCON with providing mid-day meals in Kolkata schools was also criticised as an attempt by the BJP government in West Bengal to impose vegetarianism.

The announcement by the Chief Minister at the State Secretariat on Wednesday put an end to all the criticism and the debate over the denial of eggs to schoolchildren in the State.

Mr. Adhikari added that the State government has increased the allocation for mid-day meals from ₹6.78 to ₹10 per student per day. The Chief Minister also distributed grants to 80,375 government and government-aided schools under the Samagra Shiksha Mission. He added that all teacher vacancies in schools would be filled, and about 50,000 new teachers will be appointed.

Allegations of corruption in the recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff at State-run schools had become a major issue during the Trinamool Congress regime, and several government officials and Trinamool leaders were arrested in connection with the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.