What happened

West Bengal Chief Minister said eggs will stay on the midday meal menu in schools in response to controversy and allegations about denial of eggs in Kolkata.

The Chief Minister outlined two midday-meal-related components for Kolkata: ISKCON’s satvik and protein-rich meals as a pilot starting August 1, and egg provision through self-help groups (SHGs).

The Chief Minister also said the government increased midday-meal allocations from ₹6.78 to ₹10 per student per day, and cited grants under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for tens of thousands of government and government-aided schools. The Chief Minister further stated that vacant teacher posts would be filled and about 50,000 new teachers would be appointed.

Background and earlier position

A public dispute in Kolkata concerned whether eggs were being provided under school midday meals and whether the involvement of ISKCON in cooked meals led to objections about food choices.