The West Bengal government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has withdrawn the approval granted to Akshaya Patra Foundation — an arm of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) — to serve Mid-Day Meals at state-run schools in four districts, according to reports. The decision, announced on 15 September 2026, marks a reversal of a scheme that had not yet been operationalised in the affected districts.

Districts Where Approval Has Been Withdrawn

The four districts affected are North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Purulia, and East Midnapore. Notably, East Midnapore is the home district of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari himself. According to a source from the state secretariat Nabanna, the withdrawal means schools in these districts will revert to the earlier practice of cooking and serving meals within school campuses.

What Stays and What Changes

Despite the rollback in the four districts, Annamrita Foundation — another ISKCON affiliate — will continue to prepare and serve Mid-Day Meals to students in schools under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) jurisdiction. The Kolkata arrangement, which predates the district expansion, remains untouched by the state's latest order.

Background: How ISKCON Got the Mid-Day Meal Contract

After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in West Bengal, ISKCON was assigned the responsibility of providing Mid-Day Meals to government school students. The arrangement began with schools under the KMC, with the state government indicating it would be extended district-wide if the Kolkata pilot proved successful. Following a positive assessment, Akshaya Patra Foundation was subsequently entrusted with the four districts — though the actual service had not commenced before the approval was revoked.

Earlier Controversy Over Vegetarian Menus

The original decision to bring ISKCON into the Mid-Day Meal programme drew sharp criticism from Opposition parties and civil society groups. Critics argued that ISKCON's strictly vegetarian meals would deprive students of non-vegetarian, protein-rich food — particularly eggs, which are a standard component of Mid-Day Meal nutrition guidelines in several states. Chief Minister Adhikari subsequently announced that eggs would be served separately alongside the ISKCON-prepared meals, and the state's budgetary allocation for the scheme was increased accordingly. The additional egg provision had largely defused the public controversy at the time.

No Official Explanation from the Government

As of the time of reporting, the Adhikari government has offered no official clarification for the sudden withdrawal of approval. The absence of a stated rationale has drawn attention, given that the rollback comes before Akshaya Patra even began operations in the four districts. Political observers note the move is particularly striking because East Midnapore — one of the districts losing the ISKCON tie-up — is the Chief Minister's own constituency base. What prompted the quiet reversal, and whether it signals a broader rethink of ISKCON's role in the state's school nutrition programme, remains unclear.