Eggs to Continue in Mid-Day Meal Scheme as CM Announces ₹296.64 Crore School Grant

PTI, July 30, 2026, Kolkata: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday used the launch of the state’s long-delayed Composite Grant programme for schools to make a series of key announcements, assuring that eggs would continue to be served under the Mid-Day Meal scheme and unveiling plans to rename two of Bengal’s flagship welfare schemes.

He said ‘Kanyashree’ would be rechristened ‘Kanya Ratna’, while ‘Sabuj Sathi’ would be renamed ‘Sarathi’.

Addressing a programme at Nabanna for the distribution of Composite Grants to more than 80,000 state-run schools, whose funding is shared between the Centre and the state in a 60:40 ratio, Adhikari said the state government was fully aligned with the aspirations of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

Launching a scathing attack on the previous regime, Adhikari alleged that state schools had been denied the grants for the past three years because of its “erroneous education policies, arrogance and utter neglect of educational institutions”.

He asserted that no state could progress without modernising and strengthening its education system.

The Chief Minister announced that Rs 296.64 crore had been transferred through net banking to 80,375 government, aided and sponsored schools across the state for their development.

Amid the controversy over changes to the Mid-Day Meal menu in government schools, particularly allegations that non-vegetarian food would be phased out, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari sought to allay concerns by clarifying that eggs would continue to be served.

Addressing the programme at the state secretariat, he said eggs would be supplied separately through Self-Help Groups (SHGs), while the pilot implementation of the Mid-Day Meal scheme through ISKCON would begin as scheduled on August 1.

The government’s decision to involve ISKCON in the Mid-Day Meal programme had triggered sharp criticism from Opposition parties and sections of civil society, with concerns that eggs—a key source of nutrition for schoolchildren—would be dropped from the menu.

The Opposition accused the government of compromising students’ nutritional needs by introducing the new arrangement.

Seeking to quell the controversy, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said the state had put in place a separate mechanism through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to ensure that students continued to receive eggs, even as ISKCON rolls out the pilot phase of the Mid-Day Meal programme from August 1.

Chief Minister speaking on the grant to the schools, said: “Though the amount, considering the number of schools, is not high, the funds were very necessary for the institutions.”

He also announced his government’s plans to introduce smart classrooms, video tutorials and modern infrastructure in government schools across the state.

High-quality audio-visual learning would be made accessible to students, mentioning that digital teaching aids and interactive learning technology were being provided to more than 1,200 government and government-aided schools.

There are plans to establish Atal Tinkering Laboratories in 1,000 higher secondary schools and more PM SHRI schools would be set up.

Training guns on the previous TMC government, Adhikari alleged that education had been treated as a commodity and that the quality of schooling had declined during its tenure.

“Under the new government, the Centre and the state are jointly taking initiatives to improve the education system. We have separated the higher education department. By agreeing with the Government of India, we aim to improve the quality of the education system,” he said.

On the issue of changing names of previous government’s schemes, Adhikari said: “Kanyashree Diwas will be celebrated on August 14 but under a different name, ‘Kanya Ratna’. The name of Sabuj Sathi will also be replaced.”

The Chief Minister also stated that there will be no recruitment of political persons in the school service commission.