1 lakh kids to get mid-day meals with Akshaya Patra boost

FEEDING THE HUNGRY

Sangareddy: Akshaya Patra Foundation, which has been providing midday meals to 16 lakh children across the country, is starting a high-tech centralised quantity kitchen with a capacity to serve 1 lakh children in Telangana, at Kandi mandal headquarters on the outskirts of Sangareddy town.

Bhoomi Puja was held to start construction of the massive kitchen on Wednesday, with generous contribution of Rs 18 crore donated by Sudha Murty, Chairperson, Infosys Foundation, at a ceremony held in Kandi on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Sudha Murty said money became a burden and a headache for many people.

God gave us wealth only to help others, she said. “Na Hum Karta, Hari Karta,” she said, translating the text as “We do not give. It is the Lord who gives and it is his wealth that we give.” Madhu Pandit Dasa, chairperson of Akshaya Patra and Hare Rama Hare Krishna Foundation, said the goal was to reach children in educationally backward areas because feeding children to support their education could make them able to contribute to society as citizens in the future.

He appreciated the Telangana government for making the maximum State contribution (40 per cent) for mid-day meal scheme when compared with the other 10 States where the scheme was being implemented and opined that by feeding its people, the State government would definitely flourish because ‘anna dana is a shresta dana’.

“According to dharma, those who have, should share it with those who don’t have,” he said, pointing out that even in Mahabharata, Lord Krishna had always suggested Yudhistir to ‘distribute food, distribute food and distribute food.’ Satya Goura Chandra Dasa, unit president, Akshaya Patra Foundation, Telangana, explained how Akshaya Patra Foundation had evolved since it was started back in 2000, currently catering to 16 lakh children through its 26 locations across the country.

Through Private Public Partnership model, he said Akshaya Patra had been serving 60,000 schoolchildren and 200 Anganwadi centres across Telangana. Speaking on the occasion, Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao pointed out how the Telangana government headed by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was taking care of pregnant women by giving them free food, so that they could deliver healthy babies.

He praised Sudha Murty for all the work she has been doing to help feeding children and felt that what would remain after her would be the great things which she had done. He opined that Akshaya Patra would solve the issue of low quality food being served in various schools across Medak, Sangareddy and Siddipet districts once the quantity kitchen is established in Kandi.

Adding that the State government had been working with Akshaya Patra in providing Rs 5 meal for common people, in agricultural markets and free food in schools and hospitals, he declared that the government would offer its complete support to whatever activity was undertaken by them. MLAs Chinta Prabhakar and Madan Reddy, Sangareddy SP Chandrashekar Reddy, DEO L Chandrakala, Women and Child Welfare Secretary Jagadeesh and others attended the ceremony.