The Calcutta High Court has requested the West Bengal government to clarify the current status of a proposal to assign the preparation and distribution of mid-day meals in Kolkata’s schools to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). This query was raised by a Division Bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, who directed the state to submit an affidavit detailing the proposal’s progress.
While a copy of the court order was not immediately available, the Bench noted that the petition might be premature since the government has not yet issued an official notification regarding the proposal’s execution. They indicated that the court could be approached again if such a notification were to be made.
The petition was filed by advocate Sirsanya Bandopadhyay, challenging the proposed transfer of responsibilities under the PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) Scheme for schools within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction to ISKCON. The petition argues that the decision does not comply with constitutional and statutory guidelines pertaining to public procurement and the implementation of state-funded welfare schemes.
Concerns were raised about the potential negative impact on the livelihoods of numerous self-help groups and community-based organizations currently involved in meal preparation. Bandopadhyay also highlighted potential constitutional issues related to the secular nature of a state-funded welfare program, as well as the preservation of dietary choices and nutritional needs of beneficiary children.
Senior Advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay, representing the petitioner, referenced a statement by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to assert that the mid-day meal scheme was being transferred to ISKCON for implementation in Kolkata schools. The court inquired whether any formal notification had been issued to this effect and noted that previous circulars did not exclude the involvement of NGOs in the scheme.
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The Bench expressed interest in determining whether any additional steps had been taken. In response, Advocate General Surajit Nath Mitra clarified that the petition was based solely on a proposal and that no formal actions had been implemented. He pointed out that the scheme guidelines allow for a centralized kitchen in urban areas and emphasized that the matter remains at the proposal stage, with no definitive decisions having been made.
