The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organization implementing the mid-day meal programme in more than 9000 Government schools across India. It aims to reach out to more schools across the country so that more children can be nourished with wholesome meal and education. Currently, it is providing food to 1.3 million children everyday across 19 locations in 9 states.
To ensure effective implementation of mid-day meal programme across all locations irrespective of odds like geographical terrain and road connectivity, Akshaya Patra employs two types of kitchen model- Centralized kitchen and Decentralized kitchen. Both the models have a significant role to play in the implementation of the mid-day meal programme. Centralized kitchens are appropriate for urban and semi-urban locations where construction of large kitchen infrastructures and road connectivity is not a difficulty. These kitchens are either mechanized or semi-mechanized. Centralized kitchen infrastructures have the capacity to cook for about 2 lakh children at one time, thereby one kitchen becoming a node for a group of schools. Akshaya Patra operates 17 centralized kitchens across 9 states.
On the other hand, there are remote locations like Baran and Nayagarh where setting up of huge
infrastructures poses a challenge. Hence, the decentralized kitchen model is applied here. In this model, cooking for a school takes place in an area close to the school itself so that transportation of cooked food is easy. Akshaya Patra identifies Self-Help Groups (SHG) mostly Women SHGs to carry out the cooking process. These groups are educated and trained to prepare the meals in a healthy and hygienic manner.
There is constant monitoring done by the operations team for the smooth running of the programme and also to ensure that the children are being provided with nutritious and wholesome meal. Regular feedbacks are also taken from school authorities, parents and children to maintain the quality of the programme.
The De-centralized kitchen model has enabled to provide mid-day meals to children even in remote areas. Akshaya Patra is currently feeding children in more than 500 Government schools by employing this kitchen model. This in turn has increased school enrolment and improved daily attendance too. It has also helped in academic performance of the children. De-centralized kitchens have created employment in these areas and thus play an important role in women empowerment too.
