The expansion of the centralised kitchen initiative under the ‘PM Poshan Yojana’ in Gujarat has reportedly been halted despite receiving approvals from the chief minister and the state finance department, raising concerns about delays to a project aimed at improving the nutritional status of schoolchildren.
The centralised kitchen scheme was introduced to ensure the supply of hygienic, standardised meals to students, particularly in areas where malnutrition remains a significant concern.
At present, centralised kitchens operate in ten cities, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Gandhinagar and Surat, providing meals to 681,268 students across 3,003 schools. The management of these kitchens has been entrusted to voluntary organisations & trusts to maintain quality and minimise irregularities.
To widen the programme’s reach, the state government had planned to establish 35 additional centralised kitchens across 23 districts, covering both tribal and non-tribal regions. District collectors in 29 districts have already allocated land for the project, while tenders for the construction of 27 kitchens have been issued and land allocation in six other districts is under way. However, progress has stalled despite preparations for foundation-laying ceremonies.
Fourteen voluntary organisations & trusts, including the Akshaya Patra Foundation, ISKCON, Swaminarayan Gurukul-Rajkot and the Bhansali Trust, have been selected to manage the facilities and agreements have already been signed. Once completed, the proposed kitchens are expected to provide meals to approximately 1.625 million students in 11,389 schools.
According to official estimates, the project has received financial approval amounting to ₹1,982 crore. Experts warn that prolonged delays and any decision to re-tender the project could increase costs significantly, potentially resulting in additional expenditure exceeding ₹100 crore if contractors revise prices upward.
Land for the new kitchens has been allocated in several locations, including Bhiloda, Meghraj, Deodar, Tharad, Ahwa, Valia, Ghogha, Bodeli, Kalyanpur, Rapar, Lakhpat, Santalpur, Sami, Poshina, Khedbrahma, Chotila, Vyara, Jhalod, Limkheda, Santrampur, Khanpur, Dediapada, Garudeshwar, Uchhal, Shehra, Umargam, Kaprada and Songarh.
Officials and sector experts say the delay could affect lakhs of students who were expected to benefit from improved meal quality under the expanded programme, even as malnutrition remains a continuing concern in parts of the state.