Chief Minister lays foundation stone and performs bhoomi pujan for Akshaya Patra Foundation's Centralized Community Kitchen

Lakhimpur: Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday laid the foundation stone and performed the bhoomi pujan for a centralized community kitchen of the Akshaya Patra Foundation at Bebejia Kumartup in the Azad area of Lakhimpur district. Notably, this facility, to be constructed over 16 bighas and 3 kathas of land at an estimated cost of Rs. 25.50 crores, would provide midday meals to schoolchildren across the district. Operated under the PM Poshan scheme - an initiative within the broader framework of the Samagra Shiksha Mission - the kitchen is scheduled for completion by September next year. The complex would encompass a staff training centre, a multipurpose hall, administrative offices, senior management quarters, and other essential amenities.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sarma characterised the day as a landmark moment for the educational sector of Lakhimpur. He affirmed that with the support of the state government and the Akshaya Patra Foundation, the completion of this centralised community kitchen would yield positive impact for the district's educational landscape. He noted that the meals prepared by the Foundation's centralised kitchens are both nutritious and hygienic, and once operational, the facility would ensure timely delivery of midday meals to schools. Crucially, the introduction of this kitchen would allow teachers to redirect their attention fully to teaching, unburdened by logistical concerns related to meal provision - a shift that is also expected to result in improved student attendance.

Reflecting on his tenure as Assam's Minister of Education and Health, the Chief Minister recalled a visit to Bengaluru during which he observed the Akshaya Patra Foundation's operations following which he initiated discussions with the organisation and extended an invitation for them to replicate the programme in Assam. The first such collaboration began in the Jalukbari constituency, and the success of this initiative soon led to the inclusion of Kamrup and Kamrup Metropolitan districts under the scheme. He further highlighted the expansion of the initiative to Jorhat in 2022, where a similar kitchen is already functional, while construction in Majuli is nearing completion. He also noted the laying of a foundation stone in Nalbari and the commencement of preparatory steps for a similar project in Sonitpur. Just a day prior, he added, the foundation stone had been laid for a centralised community kitchen in Dibrugarh.

Dr. Sarma described the provision of food to the underprivileged and the needy as a noble humanitarian endeavour. He emphasised that the Akshaya Patra Foundation not only makes effective use of government funding but also contributes from its own resources to ensure the meals are both nutritious and flavourful. Moreover, he remarked that if any individual or group expressed a sincere intent to provide food for the poor or the ill, the Foundation was willing to offer its support in that direction as well, stated a press release.

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