Bhubaneswar/Kolkata, June 29 (UDN): In the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the supply of eggs under the midday meal programme, the West Bengal government is reportedly looking to adopt key features of Odisha’s successful school nutrition model to streamline its own system.
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Officials from West Bengal are understood to have expressed interest in studying Odisha’s decentralised and cooperative-based procurement mechanism, which has been widely appreciated for ensuring regular supply of nutritious food items, including eggs, to schoolchildren across the state.
Odisha’s midday meal programme, implemented under the PM POSHAN scheme, has emerged as a model for several states due to its efficient supply chain, robust monitoring mechanism and emphasis on nutritional support. The state’s system ensures the regular inclusion of eggs and other protein-rich food items in school meals, benefiting lakhs of students.
The move comes amid ongoing discussions in West Bengal over strengthening transparency, accountability and quality control in the procurement and distribution of food items under the school feeding programme.
Education and food supply officials are expected to examine Odisha’s best practices, including its procurement procedures, monitoring framework and community participation model, to improve the implementation of the scheme in West Bengal.
Experts believe that adopting proven practices from Odisha could help enhance the nutritional outcomes of schoolchildren while ensuring greater efficiency and transparency in the midday meal programme.
The development highlights Odisha’s growing recognition as a model state in implementing school nutrition initiatives and delivering essential welfare services effectively.
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