2 min readJun 26, 2026 06:10 AM IST First published on: Jun 26, 2026 at 06:10 AM IST The first budget of the Suvendu Adhikari government in West Bengal has drawn attention for two contrasting decisions on school nutrition. On the one hand, it has substantially increased the per-child allocation for mid-day meals, raising the material cost from Rs 6.78 to Rs 10, signalling a welcome recognition that better nutrition requires greater public investment. Yet the decision to hand the running of mid-day meals in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area to the religious organisation ISKCON effectively excludes one of the staples from the menu — eggs. The defence by CM Adhikari — “You will get good food to eat. You will get pure food, nothing to worry about” — and by state education minister Dipak Burman — “There is no logic behind the idea that children must consume eggs, especially to fulfil their nutritional needs” — only exacerbates concerns. By imposing a vegetarian ideal in a culturally varied state, the move depletes the menu of …