Last week, it was announced that Akshaya Patra, a Bengaluru-based non-governmental organisation, will provide mid-day meals to schools in parts of Goa after it was agreed that they would set up a centralised kitchen in Pilerne, north Goa. Akshaya Patra has in the past stoked controversy over its alleged obstinacy in serving only vegetarian food to schoolchildren and refusal to serve eggs, a much-needed and cheap source of protein to students who already have very little protein in their diet.
In the Goa context, Akshaya Patra says that it is looking out for manpower and would begin their Goa operations by supplying meals to 2,500 students who are not covered by any Self-Help Groups (SHGs). It is setting up a kitchen that can serve 5,000 meals which it says will align with Goan tastes and has assured that the majority of its staff, including cooks would be locals.
That being said, it is obvious that the entity is not making inroads into Goa to supply only 2,500 meals. The writing is on the wall that they have set their eyes on the larger landscape and the first kitchen setup is just the beginning. The question therefore is, what is going wrong under the current mid-day meal set-up?
In the long run, Akshaya Patra is expected to replace local self-help groups that are providing locally made and compatible mid-day meals to schools. Let us not forget, there is employment generation in the current setup and a viable source of income for the SHGs.
No doubt the system was not perfect, but it has survived for so long, and barring the odd complaint has been fairly successful at serving both objectives. Despite being made to survive on shoestring budgets, and delayed payments, the SHGs under new guidelines and protocols have been able to effectively deliver food for the children to eat as a mid-morning meal.
The SHGs have been providing an all-vegetarian meal, much like Akshaya Patra will be doing when it enters the state and starts supplying meals. This isn’t as big a problem as it would have been if indeed mid-day meals in Goa were mid-day meals. Instead, because schools here only operate during the morning session, they function as mid-morning meals. A snack instead of a full lunch.
The question, therefore, is why is the government bringing in Akshaya Patra to serve a function that is already being served by local NGOs. The move is not justified at this stage and appears to be intended to favour an out-of-state player and clearly goes against the spirit of enterprise in Goa.
The ruse often used is that the new operator will provide better services at a cheaper rate. However, scratch the surface, and the situation appears to be nothing but a corporate takeover at the cost of the individual, retail supplier. Add to the mix the allegations that Akshaya Patra has faced for allowing its religious beliefs and practices to determine its decision-making when it comes to supplying food in a state that is well-known for its food and hospitality.
The parents, self-help groups and the people of Goa need clarity over what the real intentions are behind this move.
