Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that arranging nutritious food for children is an act of virtue. When the society and the government engage in such activities together, the services reach the needy in large numbers. The efforts of Akshaya Patra Foundation and HEG Limited are commendable. Chief Minister Chouhan was virtually addressing the inauguration programme of the first mega kitchen started in Madhya Pradesh to provide mid-day meals to school students by Akshaya Patra Foundation, Bengaluru, under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana today.
Chief Minister Chouhan said that “Parhit saras dharma nahi bhai, parpida sam nahi adhamai”. There is no greater virtue than charity. To experience the suffering of other people and try to reduce it is a man’s true dharma. If children get pure, fresh and hot food, then they also get nutrition from it, which makes the body healthy. When the body is healthy, the mind is also healthy. Chief Minister Chouhan said that if other organizations also come forward to provide food and other nutritious items to the children, they are also welcome. With collective efforts, we will be able to provide better nutrition to the children.
Chief Minister Chouhan said that while PM Poshan Shakti Nirman programme is being implemented inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Madhya Pradesh government is making arrangements for mid-day meals in the school premises for students up to Class 8th on the other hand. The Foundation is dedicatedly working to provide quality food to the children. Its beginning in Bhopal is commendable.
The work that the team of Swami Chanchalapati ji is doing is no less than worshiping God, because children are the form of God. In the contract made by the Madhya Pradesh government with HEG, food grains will be given by the government. Along with this, the government will also bear the cost of cooking. Chief Minister Chouhan appreciated the projects run by HEG Limited in environment, agriculture development and social sector. The Chief Minister told that he also plants saplings everyday. Institutions and individuals are becoming partners in this work.
With the Akshaya Patra Rasoi already operating in 16 states of the country, starting its operation in Madhya Pradesh, about 50 thousand children studying in 900 schools in Bhopal and Mandideep in Raisen district will get the benefit of nutritious food. As a result of the agreement made with the Madhya Pradesh government, the children of government schools will be benefitted. The kitchen shed has been constructed in Bhopal at a cost of Rs 12 crore. Every year an amount of Rs 7.5 crore will be spent on food. This is the 66th kitchen of Akshaya Patra in the country. About 150 employees will work in the mega kitchen. About 3 dozen vehicles will do the work of delivering food to schools in Bhopal and Mandideep with the help of insulated containers. The work of preparing food will be done in less time and in more quantity by different equipments. Since the year 2000, Akshaya Patra Foundation is doing this work in the country. More than 20 lakh students are getting benefitted in the states.
Founder of Swami Chanchalapati Bhilwara Group Laxmi Niwas Jhunjhunwala, Chief MD of HEG Limited Ravi Jhunjhunwala, Manish Gulati, Bhopal District Panchayat President Ram Kunwar Gurjar, Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development Malay Shrivastava were present at the inauguration of the mega kitchen.
