Infocus 4 January 2018

infocus | JANUARY 2018 

infocus 

information that matters 

JANUARY, 2018

CONTENTS 

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information that matters 

01 

Beginning of Mid-Day Meal Programme 

1.1 Mid-Day Meal Scheme 

1.2 History 

1.3 Challenges/Hurdles 

1.4 Proposed Measures 

1.5 Other School Lunch Programmes in the World 

An organisation ought to be aware of both, opportunities and 

concerns, as this familiarity plays a crucial role in initiating a thought 

process and helps make informed decisions, giving a strategic 

direction to its initiative. This is especially important in the context of nonprofit 

advocacy as organisations, to maximise their impact, should have 

representation on key platforms when it comes to issues that affect the 

communities that they cater to. 

In any organisation, it is important that all departments are in sync, and 

therefore, it is imperative to establish a system where all stakeholders have 

one drive, one voice, and one brand identity. This necessitates knowledge 

sharing, i.e., fluid exchange of information and ideas. When executed 

effectively, knowledge sharing helps in making informed decisions and 

replicating favourable ideas from various learnings. This belief forms the 

core of this journal, which comprises new learnings, recent developments, 

media excerpts about the organisation, and reviews of opportunities and 

concerns along with our take on various issues. 

This volume being the first edition of this publication, we agree that the 

learning curve is steep. Over the next few months, we will anchor the 

initiative and that will be easier with your support. We intend to make this 

an interactive process … a collaborative effort on the part of team 

Akshaya Patra. 

02 

03 

04 

05 

06 

Measuring Mid-Day Meal Outcomes 

2.1 Mid-Day Meal Impact 

2.2 Akshaya Patra Impact Studies 

Akshaya Patra and Sustainable Development Goals 

Goa Pestle Analysis 

Goa Five Force Analysis 

Learnings 

6.1 One important aspect of the organisation 

6.2 What we can learn from others 

07 

Meals and Beyond 

7.1 Millets Implementation 

7.2 Swacch Bharat, Swacch Vidyalaya, Swacch Gruha 

7.3 School and Student Transformation 


infocus | JANUARY 2018

1.2 History 

In 1925, a Mid-Day Meal Programme was first 

introduced for disadvantaged children in Madras 

Municipal Corporation. By mid-1980s, three 

states – Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu along 

with the Union Territory of Pondicherry had 

universalised a cooked meal programme with 

their own resources for children in the primary 

section. By 1990-91, the number of states 

implementing Mid-Day Meal Programmes was 

12. 

An Overview of 

MID-DAY MEAL 

PROGRAMME 

The Mid-Day Meal Programme is the largest of its kind school lunch programme in the 

world with 97.8 million beneficiaries. Here is an overview of the programme whilst 

emphasising on its development over the years. 

1.1 Mid-Day Meal Scheme 

In order to improve the nutritional profile of school-age children in the country, the 

Government of India designed the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS). The programme 

supplies free lunches on school days for children in primary and upper primary classes 

in Government and aided schools. A well-conceived initiative, it falls in the ambit of the 

Government of India’s flagship programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and aims to: 

Eliminate classroom hunger 

Address malnutrition 

Increase enrolment 

Improve retention 

Improve attendance 

Encourage socialising 

Promote gender equality 

The programme is in line with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 


Page 01 

In 2001, ‘Right to Food’, a derived fundamental 

right which is enforceable by virtue of the 

constitutional remedy, was recognised. The 

Supreme Court of India on November 28, 2001 

passed an order directing the State Governments 

and Union Territories to implement the 

Mid-Day Meal Scheme. As per the scheme every 

child in every Government and Government 

assisted Primary School was to be provided a 

prepared mid-day meal. In 2002, the scheme was 

extended to cover children studying in Education 

Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & 

Innovative Education (AIE) centres. Further 

amendments and inclusions have only boosted 

the extent of implementation of the Mid-Day 

Meal Programme. 

It is one of the most promising programmes to 

directly tackle classroom hunger and promote 

education. Enhancing enrolment, retention and 

attendance while simultaneously improving the 

nutritional levels among children has been the 

genesis for this programme. This Scheme has the 

potential to counter the three interconnected 

issues of illiteracy, hunger and poverty. 

Since 2001, when the Supreme Court of India 

formally mandated that cooked mid-day 

meal should be provided to every child at all 

government schools and government assisted 

primary schools, this programme has received 

much appreciation and impact on the classroom 

hunger, literacy and health, yet the nation as a 

whole has a long way to go. The Government 

of India and all State Governments have been 

constantly trying to improve this programme 

with new inclusions and improvement directives 

in the meal menu such as addition of fruit and 

milk in the menu. 


1.4 Proposed Measures by Akshaya Patra 

While a promising programme, a few measures will ensure enabling adherence to the 

global Sustainable Development Goals. Discussed below are some measures proposed by 

The Akshaya Patra Foundation. 

1.3 Challenges/Hurdles 

In a diverse country like India, implementing 

a programme of this scale is bound to 

face certain challenges. 

Funding 

The National Plan of Action for Children 

(NPAC) recommends that at least 5% of the 

Union Budget be spent on schemes and 

programmes directly related to children. 

Budget 2017-18 saw a meagre hike of 3% 

(i.e., 300 crore) with the total allocation 

for the Scheme increasing from INR 9,700 

crore (2016-17) to INR 10,000 crore. 

Appropriate budget needs to be provided 

for an efficiently run Mid-Day Meal 

Programme. According to the World Bank 

data (2012), India spends only 3.8% of 

its GDP on education as against a global 

average of 4.4%. Adequate funding and 

its proper execution is required to ensure 

sustainability of this programme. 

In the Union Budget for 17-18, , the 

Finance Minister announced the 

withdrawal of Section 35AC of Income 

Tax Act. The decision was made in order to 

simplify in order to simplify tax laws and to 

bring about transparency and clarity in the 

income tax structure. The Government has 

also initiated certain other reforms such as 

the reduction in corporate tax for the next 

four years. 

Correspondingly, the Government has also 

withdrawn certain tax exemptions and 

deductions. Non-profits registered under 

Section 80G of Income Tax Act continue to 

provide 50% tax exemption. 

Poor infrastructure 

After the Supreme Court directive, proper 

implementation of the scheme would have 

seen a prudent study done before the 

execution began. On-site cooking, while 

appealing, lacked safety measures and 

adequate infrastructure. Centralised cooking 

required certain food safety, quality and 

hygiene factors to be considered. 

Lapses in reporting and monitoring 

Lack of monitoring of quality and sufficiency 

of food is observed on various fronts. In many 

cases, the meals received are of low quality 

and are insufficient for a healthy growing 

child. Nutritional norms are not being met 

where proper monitoring is absent. 

Apathy towards the underserved 

A general apathy and treatment of school 

children as burdens is observed among many 

Government and Government schools. This 

might lead to negligence when it comes to 

quality and safety of the food provided to the 

children. 

While many NGOs implement the 

Government’s Mid-Day Meal Programme; a 

prudent, robust and effective guideline for 

functioning would add value to the scheme. 

A strong directive for 

selecting the NGOs to 

become the implementing 

arm of the Programme 

Setting up effective food 

safety standards and norms 

International 

Collaborations: Consider 

partnerships and 

co-operation programmes 

with governments and 

organisations of other 

countries that have 

developed technology and 

expertise 

Provisions for NGOs 

to raise donations 

from public and foster 

community involvement 

and provide guidelines to 

ensure accountability 

Provisions to enable 

NGOs to avail exemptions 

to bring clarity in claiming 

cooking cost subsidies 

Capacity building and 

training, specifically 

addressing the needs of 

centralised kitchen staff 

can be conducted for at 

least twice every year 

Inclusive participation 

of NGOs in district level 

Steering-cum-Monitoring 

Committee and in Social 

Audit Committee (SAC) 

A robust Grievance 

Redressal Mechanism 

An effective feedback 

mechanism 

Monitoring and 

evaluation (as required 

for centralised kitchens) 

on the part of the 

implementing NGOs must 

be a continuous process in 

order to maintain quality 

and safety 


Page 03 infocus | JANUARY 2018 

Page 04

1.5 School Lunch Programme in Other Countries 

1. Hunger-free Kids Act 2010 (Not an NGO): The bill was passed in USA in 2012. It focuses 

on upping nutrition standards and providing wholesome meals (vegetables and fruits) to 

school kids and encourages children to participate in extracurricular activities. However, 

this bill is on debate due to an increase in food waste and declining school revenue. 

The food is either free of cost or at reduced rate – for those who can afford, are charged a 

nominal fee. 

2. Malaysia School Milk Programme – started and funded by the Ministry of Education 

in 1954. Schools apply for the program based on the number of children and low-income 

students. 

3. Canada – the only G8 country that does not have a national school lunch program and 

therefore, schools approach differs based on provinces. Schools approach private lunch 

providers for making and delivering meals – not at free of cost. 

Lunch Lady – a school lunch provider in Canada operating since 1993 through 50 

kitchens and 5 provinces. 

Pita Pit – This firm approaches the school and after consulting the staff and getting 

approval by parents, they begin their work. 

Adopt-a-School – Vancouver Sun’s breakfast program at low cost (at 85 cents per meal). 

4. Brazil’s National School Feeding Programme 1 , started in 1955, is one of the wider 

range of social assistance programmes run by the Ministry of Development, as part of its 

“Zero Hunger Strategy”. It feeds over 42 million children – making this programme the 

second largest in the world. USP: The vegetables are sourced from local farmers. 

5. Healthy Kids Association – is a non-profit in Australia countering junk food by setting 

up school canteens. USP: Healthy food. They provide to schools based on membership. 

Source: 

1. http://pulitzercenter.org/project/south-america-brazil-school-lunch 

A school kid in US enjoying lunch 

A child eating lunch at a kindergarten in Sao Paulo city. 

Image by Rhitu Chatterjee. Brazil, 2015 

MEASURING 

MID-DAY MEAL 

OUTCOMES 

The impact of a welfare initiative is best demonstrated by research backed by statistical 

data. This section is a compilation of various studies undertaken to assess the impact of 

Mid-Day Meal Scheme on children in general. In addition, it also puts forth the Akshaya 

Patra story in numbers. 

2.1 Mid-Day Meal Impact 

On Attendance 1 

A 2015 paper by IJSR indicates that attendance in MDM schools was higher compared to 

non-MDM schools. That is, 86.50% in MDM schools compared to 82.90% in non-MDM 

schools (the statistics combines both rural and urban schools). 

On Primary School Enrolment 2 

An Economics Professor, Rajshri Jayaraman published an impact evaluation paper in 2015 

titled ‘The Effect of School Lunches on Primary School Enrollment’, which indicates that 

mid-day meal programme increased school enrolment for Grades 1 and 2 however, the same 

policy did not respond to Grades 4 and 5. According to the paper, it was found that mid-day 

meals could be less effective in retaining children in upper primary schools. 

(Sic) Our main triple difference estimates indicate that primary school enrollment increased 

by 6.6%, with the largest and most robust increase coming from grades 1 and 2, where enrollment, 

rose by 18% and 9%, respectively. 

Source: 

1. https://www.ijsr.net/archive/v4i2/SUB151284.pdf 

2. www.isid.ac.in/~pu/conference/dec_10_conf/Papers/RajiJayaraman.pdf 



Page 06

On Nutrient Intake of Children 1 

In a 2010 discussion paper (Impact of School Meals) by Farzana Afridi, it was found that 

children’s nutrient intake in Madhya Pradesh was higher on a school day (increased by 49% to 

100%) and that mid-day meal also tackled iron deficiency – this reduced by 10% on school days. 

2.2 Akshaya Patra Impact Studies 

Akshaya Patra reaches out to 1,675,008 children of 13,839 schools in 32 locations across 12 

states of India, providing them with freshly cooked meal on school days. The Foundation has 

time and again collaborated with reputed survey firms to measure the impact of its Mid-day 

Meal Programme. 

Impact Assessment and Satisfaction Survey 2 

An impact and satisfaction study undertaken by Nielsen (India) Private Limited to assess the 

long term impact of Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day Meal Programme, it showed that nutritious meal 

served by the Foundation has helped in improving the attention span in classroom. The study 

also revealed that the meal served in the school was the first complete meal of the day for 

around 30% students. 

Assessment of Mid-Day Meal Programme in 8 States 3 

In the 2014 study conducted by Sigma Research and Consulting Pvt. Ltd., to establish the 

need, impact, and continuance of Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day Meal Programme, all states showed 

highly impressive attendance rates of above 90 percent. Furthermore, it also showed that the 

programme promotes social equity, with children having mid-day meals together irrespective of 

caste, religion or economic class in all the states. 

Summary 

Mid-day meal has a positive impact 

on enrolment, attendance, and 

retention in schools. 

It is also evident that the nutritious 

meals served in schools are helping 

improve the nutritional status of the 

children. 

In establishing the impact of the 

programme, these findings stress 

on the need to continue with its 

implementation. 

Source: 

1. http://www.im4change.org/siteadmin/tinymce/uploaded/Reetika%20Khera.pdf 

2. https://www.akshayapatra.org/impact_reports/Impact-assessment-on-MDM-prgm-in-bengaluruand-telangana.pdf 

3. https://www.akshayapatra.org/impact_reports/sigma-study-2014.pdf 


Page 07 


3.2 SDGs Addressed Indirectly 

Goal 1: No Poverty 

Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meal serves as an incentive 

for children to come to school (and for parents to 

send their children to school). In helping children 

get education, Akshaya Patra gives hope for a better 

future. 

AKSHAYA PATRA 

AND GLOBAL SDGs 

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being 

Akshaya Patra’s meals are tailored to meet the 

nutritional level stipulated in MDM guidelines. This 

has a positive impact on children’s health and overall 

wellbeing. 

In serving nutritious meals to children every school day, Akshaya Patra addresses two 

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directly and five indirectly. 

Goal 5: Gender Equality 

Akshaya Patra is an equal opportunity employer. 

It promotes gender quality by employing women 

Self-help Groups and ensuring gender parity. 

3.1 SDGs Addressed Directly 

Goal 2: Zero Hunger 

Akshaya Patra’s initiative helps in 

tackling the issue of classroom hunger. In guaranteeing 

children a meal every school day, Akshaya Patra intends 

to address this issue. 

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy 

In its operations, Akshaya Patra resorts to 

environment friendly means of energy, such as biogas 

and solar power. 

Goal 4: Quality Education 

When children are hungry, they are not able to 

concentrate on what is being taught to them in 

the classroom. In contrast, when they have a filling 

meal, they are better able to focus on academics and 

extracurricular activities. 

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities 

With children sitting together to eat food, Akshaya 

Patra promotes social equality. 



Page 10

News Excerpts 

The government’s attempt to engage Akshaya Patra even on 

a pilot basis, is a regressive step, having no elements of social 

integration and by centralising the operations, it destroys the 

very foundation of the scheme 1 

– Fr Maverick, The Goan 

GOA PESTLE 

ANALYSIS 

Attempts to promote social integration and have a model 

which provides local cuisine and jobs in the area would be 

defeated with the entry of Akshaya Patra. 2 

– What about SHGs? The Goan 

PESTLE Analysis helps in maximising opportunities and minimising threats to the 

organisation by understanding external influences. The analysis takes into account Political, 

Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental influences, hence the abbreviation. 

Questions typically asked range from ‘What are the political factors that are likely to come 

into play’ to ‘Are there any environmental concerns that need to be looked into’. 

We wanted Akshaya Patra Foundation in Goa only because 

of their reputation of providing good quality food. The core 

issue in midday meals is quality food for students not the 

welfare of self-help groups (SHG) in Goa. We will give SHGs 

proper training, equipment, etc., as long as they cook food 

in hygienic conditions and provide nutritious 

meals to students. 3 

– Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, The Times of India 

Purpose of the Study 

The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been invited to open a centralised kitchen in Goa. In 

the aftermath of this news breaking out, certain inflammatory and opposing views have 

surfaced. This is a preliminary, ground-level analysis on the basis of Political, Economic, 

Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental observations prepared by an employee of 

the Foundation to obtain an inclusive understanding of the grass-root level concerns and 

opportunities. 

Source: 

1. http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=35712 

2. http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=35758 

3. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/schools-to-get-sanitary-pad-dispensing-machinescm/articleshow/60383590.cms 



Page 12

Current Scenario 

School Timings in Goa 

In Goa, school timings are 08:00 

AM – 01:00 PM, with ‘recess’— 

typically a 15-minute break—at 

around 11:00 AM. So the food that 

is provided as a part of the Mid-Day 

Meal Programme in Goa is more of 

‘snack’ instead of ‘lunch.’ Children 

have the breakfast of their choice 

at home and return for lunch after 

school. As for snacks during their 

recess, children either carry their 

tiffin box or get pocket money. 

Snacks are readily available in the 

school canteen or in general stores 

around the school. This is especially 

true in the urban setting. 

Cujira Integrated Educational 

Complex – Pilot Project Site 

The Cujira Integrated Educational 

Complex, where the Government 

plans to start serving Akshaya 

Partra’s mid-day meals on a pilot 

basis, has schools which have 

been moved there from the city 

of Panjim—the state capital. The 

children studying in these schools 

come from well-to-do families from 

in and around the city and thus, 

don’t really need MDM. 

Scenario in Rural Goa 

In the rural areas, things are 

different. There are areas 

where children have to walk a 

considerable distance to reach 

the school. If the schools wind up 

by 01:00 PM, they take another 

hour to walk home. These are the 

children who actually need midday 

meals and that’s evident from the 

fact that they don’t waste it. In 

urban area, in contrast, a lot of food 

gets wasted. 

Goa At a Glance 

1,458,545 

State Population (2011 Census) 

62% 

Urban (Density: 1771 per sq km) 

38% 

Rural (Density: 173 per sq km) 

88% 

Literacy Rate 

0.617 

Consumption based HDI: 0.617 

(2007-08; 2015 data not available) 

Educational Statistics at Glance 

2015-16 

Average area covered by a school 

i) Primary School/Department 3.09 Sq. km. 

ii) Middle School/Department 8.39 Sq. km. 

iii) Secondary/Department 9.18 Sq. km. 

Average population served by a school 

i) Primary School/Department 1221 

ii) Middle School/Department 3307 

iii) Secondary School/Department 3619 

Number of Schools 

No. of Primary Schools (I-IV) 1190 

No. of Central Govt. Primary Schools (I-IV) 5 

No. of Middle Schools (V-VII) 434 

No. of Secondary Schools (V-X/VIII-X) 396 

No. of Central Govt. Secondary Schools (V-X) 7 

Goa Analysis 

The analysis is based on informal conversations with some journalists in Goa, parents of 

children who get Mid-Day Meal in schools, teachers, and people who have a rough idea about 

MDM in the Goan context as they come in contact with schools and children because of their 

line of work. At the same time, it also includes information published in newspapers and 

telecast on local channels. 

Political 

Chief Minister’s Take 

The Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar seems enthusiastic about the idea of tying up 

with The Akshaya Patra Foundation. However, it has to be noted that he has previously gone 

public with the idea, only to go back on his words when the All Goa Mid-Day Meal Federation 

(AGMDMF) comprising the 105 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) protested. Though 105 is not a big 

number, one has to keep in mind that Parrikar is heading a coalition Government. 

Fragile Coalition 

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, BJP has 14 seats, and therefore, it had to tie up with 

MGP (3 seats) and Goa Forward (3 seats) plus some Independents to form the Government. 

Though traditional allies, BJP and MGP decided to part ways before the 2017 Assemble 

Elections as they could not come to a seat sharing agreement. As for Goa Forward, they were 

critical of Parrikar before the elections but decided eventually decided to join the coalition. 

Fringe Political Groups 

In addition, the SHGs also have the support of some political groups which do not have 

elected representatives, but have the ability to make some noise by hitting the streets and 

giving sound bites to local media. 

Mahila Mandals with Political Patronage 

It is also important to note here that some of the mahila mandals involved in MDM feeding 

in Goa enjoy political patronage—especially the ones in the interior talukas such as Sattari, 

Sanguem, and Ponda. They form an important chunk of the vote bank for some ministers in 

the current Government. 

All these factors considered, it is difficult to say that the Government won’t develop cold 

feet the next time SHGs threatens to agitate. However, as of now the Chief Minister seems 

positive about the partnership. In fact, on the eve on Teachers’ Day (05/09/2017), he 

reiterated that providing quality food to students is the core issue of his Government, not the 

welfare of SHGs. 


Page 13 


On What Grounds Will the Government Replace SHGs? 

On what grounds does the Government intend to replace SHGs with Akshaya 

Patra? This is the first question that everyone seems to be interested in. There have 

been a few untoward incidents as well as some instances of SHGs being asked to 

discontinue their services as they didn’t follow the stipulated guidelines. On September 

4, for instance, the Goa Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department 

ordered closure of a kitchen run by a Valpoi-based SHG as its premises were found 

to be unhygienic. However, in such cases, the blame is on the individual SHG and 

not the whole lot. Even the SHGs argue that in such cases the guilty SHG should be 

replaced with a new one instead of reviewing the entire network. 

There have been no major incidents. SHGs are voluntarily coming forward for 

checks. They are asking the headmasters and PTA members to taste the food. The 

Government wants schools to go and check their facilities and they don’t have any 

problem with that. 

Arguments by SHGs and/or their supporters 

Instead of spending 12 crore on infrastructure, why not increase the funds provided 

to us so that we can provide a better meal? 

We have been providing meals for more than a decade. If we were not up to the 

mark, why didn’t the Government spend this money on training us to improve our 

service? 

Why is the Government not thinking about the hundreds of families that will be 

affected by this decision? 

Why bring an organisation from outside when you can replace the guilty SHG 

with another local SHG? 

In Goa, the cost of living is high. The Government should revise the price paid per 

meal after taking this into consideration and we will be able to provide better food. 

SHGs contract was set to expire in September 2017. On 04/09/17, the Government 

of Goa extended their contract with SHGs until the end of this academic year. 

Economic 

Employment-related concerns 

Concerns are being raised about how the 

Government’s decision to bring in Akshaya 

Patra will result in unemployment for 

hundreds of people. This is fuelled by the 

belief that the organisation will bring in its 

own staff. An article published in The Goan 

said, “The fine print of the proposal clearly 

states that the existing Self-Help Groups, 

cooks/helpers and other staff should be 

absorbed by the government in alternate jobs 

and that the Foundation will bring in their own 

staff.” 

So the question is - will Akshaya Patra create 

employment opportunities for the locals? Even 

if we say that our policy revolves around hiring 

locals—we do not bring staff from outside, 

the question is whether we will be able to 

accommodate the number of people involved 

now in 105 SHGs across the state as of now. 

How do we say we operate fully automated 

kitchen unit and still make a case for manual 

labour? 

SUMUL Example 

A suggestion was to map the presence of 

the existing 105 SHGs and see if they are 

concentrated in urban areas or distributed 

across the states. If they are concentrated in 

urban areas, we can start off with the rural 

parts where they are not dominant. A similar 

solution was used when Gujarat-based Surat 

District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union 

(SUMUL) was allowed entry in Goa last year. 

In the aftermath of protests, it was allowed to 

start its operations in the four interior talukas. 

Social 

Goan-Outsider Issue 

The Goan-outsider issue will also come to 

the fore in this case. As mentioned earlier, 

at least one publication has mentioned that 

Akshaya Patra will bring its own staff from 

outside. It is important that we deal with such 

misinformation by getting relevant articles 

published in local media. 

The Role of the Church 

The Church is always a factor in Goan 

sociopolitics, which is not surprising 

considering that Christians constitute 26% 

of the population share. In 2012, its open 

support to the BJP-led alliance helped them 

get a majority. At present, there are 17 

Christian MLAs in the 40 member assembly; 

7 BJP, 9 Congress, and 1 NCP. Almost all 

the local publications are highlighting that 

Akshaya Patra’s parent organisation is 

ISKCON. Even the Church will highlight 

the same when opposing Akshaya Patra; Fr. 

Maverick has already gone public with this 

issue. 

Quality of Food Provided by SHGs 

Those people who have tasted the food 

provided have mixed reviews about the 

quality; taste in particular. Some SHGs 

provide tasty food, while some provide food 

for the sake of it. 

What will Akshaya Patra serve? 

Children don’t seem to be fond of food 

they get as a part of MDM as of now, which 

is understandable as most of them don’t 

face hunger to the extent like children in 

other states. These children—if they do skip 

breakfast—it is by choice. The only food 

item that everyone seems to like is 

bhaji-pav which is usually the breakfast in 

Goa. These children don’t even like pulav as 

they are not used to the idea of having rice 

at 11:00. 

That prompts the question what will 

Akshaya Patra provide? How will the menu 

be different from what the existing SHGs 

are providing? This is important because if 

children don’t like it, they won’t eat. Also, 

taking into account the school timing, it 

seems like they will prefer snacks instead of 

a proper lunch. 



Page 16

Technological 

Legal 

Likely Legal Issues 

There is a possibility that these SHGs will go to the court if the Government takes any decision 

against them. And Goa, as it is, is notorious for judicial activism. 

Environmental 

Likely Environmental Issues 

It doesn’t seem like there will be any environmental issue to tackle, unless the Government 

decides to allot land in an area which is protected/controversial/agricultural land. If it does, it is 

very likely that environment groups will also come into the picture. 

Media’s Likely Take 

If the Government cannot give a justified reason to replace SHGs, the Media won’t be in the 

position to speak in Akshaya Patra’s favour—despite the positive image they have about the 

Foundation as of now. 

Recommendations 

In order to get a clear picture, an 

in-depth study is recommended 

spanning over a few months with 

students, teachers, and PTA members 

as the respondents. This study 

will reveal actual requirements of 

the children and locations/ areas/ 

geographies where such a set-up will 

be beneficial. 

We might be able to replicate the 

SUMUL example. 

It will also be helpful if mapping is 

done for the distribution pattern of 

SHGs which serve mid-day meals in 

the state as of now. 

The Directorate of Education (DoE) 

Goa Government had asked all the 

schools to visit the SHG facilities 

and answer a questionnaire with 

27 key points. The final report of 

this evaluation can give us a better 

understanding of SHGs in question. 

GOA 

FIVE FORCE 

ANALYSIS 

If you want to determine whether your venture will be profitable or not and weed out the 

concerns you are likely to face, you need to be aware of your competitors—especially how their 

actions in the marketplace will affect you. Five Force Analysis helps in doing this by analysing 

other businesses in the market on five distinct fronts: industry rivalry, bargaining power of 

consumers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of substitutes, and threat of new entrants. 

Akshaya Patra Five Force Analysis - Goa 

Industry rivalry 

It analyses the number of competitors in the marketplace currently and capability. 

The Akshaya Patra Foundation faces a strong force, in terms of industry rivalry, because it is 

directly competing with Self-help Groups (SHGs) for the mid-day meal space in Goa. These 

SHGs have been providing mid-day meals in the state for the last 17 years. As of today, 105 

SHGs are in contract with the Government of Goa. (Earlier this month, their contract was 

extended until the end of this academic year.) 

While these groups have been protesting as one unit now—under the All Goa Mid-day Meal 

Federation (AGMDMF), they play the individual group card if there is any untoward incident. 

If, for instance, there is some problem with the food provided by one particular group, their 

argument is that the Government should act against that particular group and not every SHG 

involved. Most of these SHGs are basically mahila mandals with political patronage. 

Industry rivalry should be the most important concern for Akshaya Patra in Goa on the Force 

Analysis front. 



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Bargaining power of consumers 

It analyses the power wielded by consumers; their ability to affect quality, price, etc. 

Consumers—in this case children—play a crucial role in Akshaya Patra’s initiative as they are the 

organisation’s most important stakeholders. However, their bargaining power is weak as the 

decision lies in the hands of the Government. If the Government decides that it will continue 

with SHGs, children will eat meals prepared by them. If it decides to rope in Akshaya Patra, they 

will eat meals prepared by the organisation. These children have limited information and they 

will come into the picture when the Government conducts a study/survey to get information 

about the quality of meals or Akshaya Patra takes the feedback from schools. 

Bargaining power of suppliers 

It analyses the power wielded by suppliers of raw materials; their number and effect on price. 

Akshaya Patra depends on multiple sources for raw materials across all locations. The 

abundance of suppliers reduces the impact they have on the organisation’s activities. There is 

no scope for single supplier to dictate terms for the organisation. It is safe to say that suppliers 

have a moderate to weak influence on Akshaya Patra initiatives. 

Threat of substitutes 

It analyses competitor’s service/product and the likelihood of consumers switching. 

For Akshaya Patra, the threat of substitutes is weak considering that it will enter Goa after 

signing an MoU with the State Government. It is unlikely that there will be any knee jerk 

reaction on the part of the Government to replace Akshaya Patra with any other organisation or 

bring back SHGs. 

Threat of new entrants 

It analyses the likelihood of new competitors entering the market. 

Even the threat of new entrants is weak in this case because school lunch is a not-for-profit 

venture and Akshaya Patra has a strong authority in the MDM space. 

Conclusion 

Based on this Five Force 

Analysis, it is clear that 

industry rivalry is the 

issue of concern for 

Akshaya Patra in Goa. 

As far as other forces are 

concerned, they exert 

a weak influence or 

moderate to weak as in 

case of bargaining power 

of suppliers. 

LEARNINGS 

The success of an organisation depends on its ability to innovate, and that, in turn, depends on 

the willingness to learn. Learning is a continuous process and involves feedback, knowledge 

sharing, and even the information acquired by systematic study. It boosts productivity 

and maximises the impact—the latter making it all the more important for non-profit 

organisations with the welfare of a community at its heart. 

6.1 One important aspect of the organisation 

Optimising Capital Expenditure - Akshaya Patra’s Hub-and-Spoke Kitchens 

In 2000, Akshaya Patra began its Mid-Day Meal Programme with the feeding of 1,500 

children of five schools in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Meals were prepared at the centralised 

kitchen in the city and delivered to these schools. Over the course of time, the word about the 

initiative spread, thus prompting authorities of other schools to approach Akshaya Patra with 

request to deliver food to their schools. 

While Akshaya Patra obliged, the increase in number of beneficiaries brought about the need 

to leverage technology to optimise the process. The end result was a standardised design 

which could be implemented elsewhere. It served as a template for the kitchens to follow. 

Innovation continued alongside and eventually the Foundation was able to set up kitchens 

with the output capacity of 100,000 meals. 


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Akshaya Patra’s flair for innovation helped it scale up, with the Foundation feeding over 

1.6 million children across 12 states today. While that’s a huge number, it accounts for less 

than two percent of the total number of children covered by the Mid-Day Meals Scheme. 

The fact makes evident a strong need to reach out to more children consistently. 

Fuelled by the flair to innovate, Akshaya Patra partnered with Innovation Alchemy 

to develop the ‘hub and spoke’ model. Based on the ‘20 km delivery rule’, the model 

encompasses a centralised unit, which acts as the hub, and has smaller units or spokes 

acting as satellite kitchens. Food is processed at the hub, while the final preparation, 

packaging, and delivery are undertaken by the smaller satellite kitchens. 

The model is expected to double the capacity of a centralised kitchen while reducing 

the average capital cost. This, in turn, will help Akshaya Patra scale and reach a larger 

number of school children by enhancing its reach across rural India. Furthermore, it will 

significantly reduce the cost of delivery and even provide more employment opportunities 

for the locals. 

The hub and spoke 

model is based on the 

‘20 km delivery rule.’ 

The concept has a 

hub where the food is 

processed and spokes, 

which are satellite 

kitchens where the final 

preparation, packaging, 

and delivery are 

undertaken. 

The implementation of 

hub and spoke model 

doubles the capacity of 

centralised kitchen and 

reduces the capital cost. 

6.2 What we can learn from others 

Programme-Parent Synergy 

Objective: Boost awareness among parents 

Inspiration - Act Locally by CRY 1 

‘Act Locally’ is CRY’s anti-child labour campaign designed to create awareness among 

parents about their children’s education. The organisation does it through its network of 

volunteers called Public Action Groups (PAG), who work towards addressing the root causes 

that affect the basic rights of children. The initiative doesn’t just help CRY identify and 

eliminate problems, but also encourages people to be a part of this movement. 

How we can do it 

Beneficiaries’ parents are among our crucial stakeholders, and therefore, bringing them into 

the fold by making them aware of the Mid-Day Meal Programme will give the initiative a 

personal touch. This can be done by organising events/campaigns exclusively for parents. 

It can be a biannual event where parents and community representatives gather to be a part 

of TAPF’s awareness programme. This will not just help engage them in our work, but will 

also create awareness about mid-day meals served to their children. Such initiatives will also 

increase parents’ and public’s support for the programme. 

Source: 

1. https://www.cry.org/volunteer-with-cry/act-locally 

References: 

http://innovationalchemy.com/portfolio/the-akshaya-patra-foundation-tapf/ 

https://ssir.org/articles/entry/why_indian_nonprofits_are_experts_at_scaling_up 


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7.2 Swacch Bharat, Swacch Vidyalaya, Swacch Gruha 

In pursuance of the aspiration of Mahatma Gandhi for a clean India, and in response to the call 

of the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi; The Akshaya Patra Foundation 

initiated the ‘Swacch Vidyarthi, Swacch Vidyalaya, Swacch Gruha’ to achieve Swacch Bharat on 

Oct 2, 2017 at the HK Hill campus of ISKCON Bangalore. 

Shri R. Ashok – Former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and Ms Sanjjanaa Galrani – 

renowned multilingual actress, record holder in the Limca Book of Records and south India’s 

Yoga brand ambassador, and Ms Sushruthi Krishna - Femina Miss India, first runner up 2016 

were present at the occasion to extend their support. 

MEALS AND BEYOND 

Through ‘Swacch Vidyarthi, Swacch Vidyalaya, Swacch Gruha’ initiative, the Foundation will 

strive to inculcate a culture of personal hygiene and cleanliness in a systematic manner over 

the next one year. This initiative will be carried out in 13,839 Government and Governmentaided 

schools in 12 states of India, where Akshaya Patra is serving hot and nutritious mid–day 

meal to 1.66 million children. The Foundation aspires to reach out to more than 5 million people 

in support of the Clean India initiative. As a pilot project, Akshaya Patra also plans to adopt 

about 100 government schools, and contribute to the implementation of the Swacch Vidyalaya 

programme 

7.3 School and Student Transformation 

7.1 Millets implementation 

Akshaya Patra strongly believes that the Mid-Day Meal provided should not only comply 

with the RDA but should also ensure the delivery of nutrition that makes an impact on 

the lives of our beneficiaries. The idea behind incorporation of millets like Ragi, Jowar, 

Bajra etc. is to ensure that our beneficiaries are getting a balanced and nutritionally 

enhanced meal. Keeping this in view, Akshaya Patra in collaboration with ICRISAT & the 

Government of Karnataka has undertaken a millet based supplementation trial that will 

be implemented from the 8th of January in few schools in Bangalore. 

The aim is to promote Smart Foods that are high in nutrition and locally produced. 

Serving a millet based fare to children will not only enhance the nutritive value of the 

existing meal by using the locally available raw produce but will also bring Akshaya 

Patra’s menu closer to the regional palette of our beneficiary children. The millet 

pilot project is intended to leverage the cooperation from pioneers, industry experts 

and institutions like ICRISAT, IIMR for continuous technical guidance and support on 

validation of activities/results. 

In 2015, the Foundation introduced a mentorship programme, Giving Every Dream a Chance. 

The idea was, now that these children have overcome the limitations of hunger, they can focus 

on their dreams. The initiative intends to provide children a platform to nurture and showcase 

their talents, thus empowering them to overcome adversity and flourish in a fast changing 

world. After successfully completing the pilot in Bengaluru in 2016, the Foundation plans to 

take this project to Mangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, and Vishakapatnam in 2017-18. 

In addition, as a part of its Model School Initiative, the Foundation intends to identify 100 

beneficiary schools to undergo transformation. The organisation will partner with professional 

experts from the related field to implement the necessary changes and ensure a process for a 

sustainable development in school education system. 

We would love to hear from you. Please share your feedback on 

varada.vaidya@akshayapatra.org 

jeetabarta.mangang@akshayapatra.org 

ajay.kavishwar@akshayapatra.org 


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Infocus 4 January 2018

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