LUCKNOW | The Times of India: Close to one lakh children in the state capital will have access to better food provided under Mid Day Meal scheme. The state government is looking to forge an alliance with Akshaypatra, a non-profit organisation that provides midday meal to children in different parts of the countryA dialogue to this effect inched further with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav visiting the Akshaypatra kitchen in Vrindavan recently.
The foundation already provides cooked food to over 1.64 lakh school children in Vrindavan and in Mathura and parts of Agra through a public-private partnership. As per the new plans, the organisation would extend its reach to one lakh children in Lucknow and 50,000 children in Kannauj.
At the same time, they want to cover another 50,000 children in Agra as the plant in Vrindavan has a capacity of two lakh. Plans are also afoot to cover children in Kanpur and Varanasi by the end of next year. During his visit to Vrindavan, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has reportedly assured officials at Akshaypatra that his government would expedite the process for opening new community kitchens in the state.
This however may not be easy, as it would still need at least one year time before land is acquired and the kitchen being set up.
“Akshaypatra normally prefers the public private partnership route. As per our model of PPP, state governments bear 60% of the cost, while Akshaypatra generates the remaining 40% funds through corporate funding and donations,” said Manish Sharma, manager communications, Akshaypatra. This is not for the first time that the Akshaypatra is looking for an opportunity to enter Lucknow. Three years ago, the King George’s Medical University had approached it to set up a community kitchen for them. But, efforts failed to show results.
source: TOI
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