On November 7, 2026, the West Bengal school education department gave in-principle approval for Annamrita Foundation, one of Food Yoga International’s affiliated projects, to serve cooked mid-day meals under the PM POSHAN programme across all districts of the state, in phases.

The decision was reported the same day by The Times of India and other Indian news outlets. It builds on work Annamrita has already started in West Bengal. The first phase began on August 1, 2026, with a select group of government schools in Kolkata.

According to those reports, the expansion will be rolled out in stages so that kitchens, transport and meal quality can be kept in place as more districts are added. District authorities have been asked to share school enrolment details and to help identify suitable sites for central kitchens. A formal letter of award is to be issued once Annamrita is ready to begin operations in each new area.

Annamrita, whose name means food as pure as nectar, already cooks plant-based school meals in partnership with central and state governments in India. A longer look at that ongoing work, using the figures Annamrita publishes on its own website, is here: A Midday Meal That Helps Children Stay in School. This news post is about the new West Bengal approval, not a change to those national figures.

The Times of India also reported that West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said nutritious, freshly cooked and hygienic meals would eventually be served in schools across the remaining districts. That is the aim of a phased rollout. It is not a claim that every school in the state is being served today.

Food Yoga International, formerly known as Food for Life Global, has served 9+ billion meals in 63 countries. Annamrita is one of the affiliated projects in that network. You can also read more on Annamrita’s website.