Studies and Articles
Fact-Finding Report on Mid-day Meal Scheme in Karnataka
June 2019 Background Malnutrition in Karnataka is a serious crisis. It affects the child’s growth, health, ability to concentrate and resistance to infection. The vicious cycle of malnutrition and infection pushes the child constantly into ill-health and risk of death. The statistics of malnutrition in Karnataka is dismal, with an alarming number of children who […]
White Paper: Provisioning of Eggs in Mid-Day Meals in Karnataka
Image credits: Delish.com 1 Introduction The Mid-day Meals (MDM) programme in Karnataka, known as Akshara Dasoha, began in 200203, in 7 most educationally and economically backward districts, providing hot cooked meals to students studying in Class I to V. Since then, it was expanded to other districts, and made applicable to students from Class I […]
Government’s refusal to enforce MoU with Akshaya Patra is hurting the scheme
Recent reports on refusal of the ISKCON-linked NGO Akshay Patra Foundation (APF) to include onion and garlic in the food served by them as part of Mid-day meals scheme in Karnataka, have created an erroneous impression that APF is no longer required to include these ingredients. A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for […]
‘Political’ Science: A Critique of NIN and CFTRI Reports on Inclusion of Onion and Garlic in Mind-day Meals
Several reports in the media had highlighted the violations of prescribed menu by Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) in supply of food under Mid-day Meals (MDM) scheme in Karnataka, by refusing to use onion and garlic in the food. Instead of standing up to the imposition of religious agenda in a public scheme, Government of Karnataka, […]
It’s not Egg alone; it’s a fight for Children’s Right to Life through Cultural Freedom!
Sachin Kumar Jain (Social Researcher, Trainer and Ashoka Fellow) In Madhya Pradesh, the politics of neglect and prohibition against children has been nurtured inside the egg. It is exactly 10 years since the debate of providing eggs in mid-day meal (in schools) and nutritious food in Anganwadis has been raging in the state. The erstwhile […]
Akshaya Patra Foundation and Inclusion of Onion and Garlic in Mid-day Meals
Image courtesy: VegKitchen Akshaya Patra Foundation, a NGO linked with religious organization ISKCON, has been involved in Mid-day Meals (MDM) scheme in Karnataka since its inception in 2002-03. Currently it is supplying food across five districts in Karnataka: Bengaluru (Urban), Mysuru, Dakshin Kannada, Bellary and Dharwad. All non-governmental organizations involved in providing food as […]
The career of hunger: Critical reflections on the history of nutrition science and policy-Part 1
Link Image courtesy: Indianexpress.com By Veena Shatrugna Nutrition research in 1920-30 ‘extracted’ about 10-15 nutrients out of nearly 900 foods: carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins. By 1950, Indian scientists were estimating people’s requirements based on their own largely vegetarian diets, prioritising cost and recommending a diet of cereal for the nation and excluding animal protein. […]
The wider effects of nutrition research: History of nutrition science and policy-Part 2
Image courtesy: Pressroom.today Link By Veena Shatrugna The decision to focus on calories from cheap sources of food influenced many of independent India’s major policy decisions such as the shamefully low poverty line, a minimum wage to meet these low dietary requirements, a public distribution system limited to cereals, and high-input monoculture to produce these […]
Letters and Memorandums
- ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆಗಳನ್ನು ಒದಗಿಸುವ ಕುರಿತು ಮುಖ್ಯ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿಗೆ ಪತ್ರ (2022-08-02)
- Letter to Chief Secretary regarding provisioning of eggs in Karnataka (2022-08-02)
- Paper of Dr K John Vijay Sagar, Professor and Head, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bengaluru – No scientific basis
- Memorandum to Chief Minister (01-12-2020): Restart supply of milk/milk powder under the Ksheerya Bhagya scheme to school children
- Letter to Chief Secretary (2020-11-24): Institution of a Enquiry into possible misuse and diversion of governments funds meant for Mid-day Meals Scheme by ISKCON-linked Akshaya Patra Foundation
- ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿಗೆ ಪತ್ರ (28-10-2020): ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನದ ಬಿಸಿಯೂಟ ಮತ್ತು ಕ್ಷೀರ ಭಾಗ್ಯವನ್ನು ಪುನಃ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸುವ ಮತ್ತು ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಶಾಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆಗಳನ್ನು ಒದಗಿಸುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆ
- Letter to Principal Secretary (28-10-2020): Regarding re-starting Mid-day meals and Ksheera Bhagya and Providing Eggs in government schools
- Statement: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Family Health International (FHI) and John Hopkins study, funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) puts meat eating women’s lives at risk
- Objections to handing over of 46 school-based kitchens to NGO run centralized kitchens for supplying mid-day meals under Akshara Dasoha programme (11/12/2019)
- Open Letter to National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad (11/05/2019)
- Letter to Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka (04/05/2019)
- Letter to Principal Secretary (Primary and Secondary Education), Government of Karnataka (02/05/2019)
Documents
Akshaya Patra MoUs: 2016-17, 2018-19 and 2019-20.
Menu for Mid-day Meals notified by Government of Karnataka: 2013 and 2019.
ಆಹಾರ ನಮ್ಮ ಹಕ್ಕು 