Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], May 11 : The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has opposed the Andhra Pradesh government's decision to hand over the Mid-Day Meal scheme to Akshaya Patra, alleging that it has cost DWCRA women their jobs and affected nutrition for school children.
Workers associated with the AP Mid Day Meal Scheme have submitted a memorandum today to Visakhapatnam District Collector Abhishek Kishore.
CITU Visakhapatnam district secretary P. Mani said the women have been running the scheme for 23 years.
"The Chandrababu Naidu government took a decision to hand over the Mid-Day Meal scheme to Akshaya Patra. We are opposing this decision because we have been doing this job for 23 years as DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) women," Mani toldon Monday.
He claimed the shift was done without justification and alleged that the DWCRA workers have not been paid since January 2026, and the government stopped gas supplies for cooking. He also said Akshaya Patra had failed to provide key items.
"Without any reason, the Chandrababu Naidu Ji government handed over the total Mid-Day Meal scheme to Akshaya Patra. We are losing our jobs. We have not been paid salaries since January 2026. The government has not supplied gas. Akshaya Patra did not supply eggs and the Ragi Java. The school children are denied protein-rich food," he said.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organisation based in Bengaluru that works to eliminate classroom hunger through the implementation of the PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal) Programme by providing nutritious meals to students in government and government-aided schools. The Foundation also focuses on countering malnutrition and supporting children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing their Right to Education.
On March 17, 2026, President Droupadi Murmu attended an event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre marking the milestone of five billion meals served by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. She praised the organisation for its long-standing efforts over the past 25 years in tackling child malnutrition and encouraging school attendance through the provision of mid-day meals.
CITU said its opposition was based on both livelihood and nutrition concerns. "That is why we are totally opposing this, because of our work nature, work security, and job security. Also, the students are denied protein. That's why we are opposing this government move," Mani added.
The Government of India has also launched numerous significant initiatives aimed at providing adequate nutrition and improved healthcare services to pregnant mothers and children. The school lunch program, implemented under PM POSHAN, has proven to be a significant incentive for parents to send their children to school.
According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the PM POSHAN scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Education. As per information received from the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, the Government has approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN)', formerly known as the 'National Programme for Mid-Day Meal in Schools'.
The scheme aims to provide hot cooked meals to eligible children studying in Government and Government-aided schools for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
According to the Ministry, the overall responsibility for the smooth functioning of the scheme, including providing hot cooked and nutritious meals to the eligible children, lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.
The Government of India has issued detailed guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene to ensure serving of good quality meals under the Scheme to all the States/UTs. These guidelines are available on the official website.
These guidelines, inter alia, provide for instructions to schools to procure Agmark quality and branded items for preparation of meals, training to Cook-cum-Helpers, tasting of meals by 2-3 members of the School Management Committee, including at least one teacher, before serving to children.
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