Bengaluru: HAL sponsors Akshaya Patra Kitchen to feed 7,500 children

Bengaluru: An Akshay Patra Kitchen sponsored by the State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to serve food to about 7,500 children was inaugurated at Guniagrahara in Bengaluru on Wednesday by company CMD R Madhavan. The kitchen will serve about 7,500 children every day and is the fourth of its kind in Bengaluru, HAL said in a release. It is equipped with the state-of-the-art kitchen with the best safety and hygiene standards.

"We are proud to be associated with this noble cause as we believe education and food are integral part of children as they grow. We will stand by such causes," Madhavan said. "HAL has been taking CSR initiatives as a "call from within' even before it was officially mandated. The CSR activities of HAL are tuned towards improving the quality of life of the socially & economically backward groups and marginalized & wea­ker sections of the society, in the vicinity of its operational areas," said Madhavan.

The project sponsored by HAL under CSR at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore covers an effluent treatment plant (ETP), water treatment plant, solar water heater, associated kitchen equipment and civil works. As per the new government guidelines, the temperature of the food at the time of serving should be maintained at more than 65 degrees centigrade and vessels provided for this kitchen should meet the requirement, the release added. Chanchalpathi Dasa, Vice Chairman of The Akshay Patra Foundation (TAPF) said, such partnerships are crucial for sustaining powerful social work and thanked HAL for the support. Reiterating the foundation's commitment to reach out to more children with tasty, hygienic and nutritious food, he said, the foundation feeds nearly four lakh children in Karnataka and nearly 17 lakh across the country.