Date:31/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/31/stories/2007083155320800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

ISKCON to start mid-day meal scheme

Staff Reporter

Plans to extend it to destitute persons too, says district Collector

Akshayapatra programme offers 7,97,872 meals
ISKCON will bear half of the expenditure involved

Sangareddy: The school children in Medak district would soon have their midday meal cooked by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness’s (ISKCON) hygienic kitchens.

The Medak administration which has received a positive nod from ISKCON is preparing a working model that would provide nutritious meal for Rs. 4 per head. Speaking to The Hindu here on Thursday, District Collector B. Venkatesam said that the administration is keen on providing ISKCON’s meal to the old and destitute persons in the villages along with the students.

Currently the Bangalore-based ISKCON’s Akshayapatra programme provides 7,97,872 meals every day to underprivileged school children through public private participation.

While the ISKCON is willing to bear half of the expenditure the district would have to devise ways to pay for the other half in the absence of private participation.

Solving the problem the Collector wants to involve the students enrolled under the National social service (NSS) scheme in the employment guarantee programme.

By doing free service in their localities the students would earn enough money under the NREGP that could feed the children.

The Collector also want to involve the parents of the underprivileged school children also to chip in their part in any one of the places of their choice.

B. Venkatesam hopes that the money accruing through this voluntary work would provide at least four lakh meals helping him to achieve the ISKON vision statement that “No child in India should be deprived of education because of hunger”.