​​​​​​NEW DELHI: The Akshaya Patra scheme was imposed in the schools of Lakshadweep, by avoiding meat items from the schools' menu, by surpassing the dissent of district panchayat. The main agenda of the steering committee meeting held under the leadership of collector Askar Ali was to discuss the proposal of appointing Bangalore based NGO, Akshayapatra as the nodal agency for the mid-day meal scheme in Lakshadweep’s schools. But representatives of the district panchayat opposed this proposal. Five members including the chief councillor opposed this proposal.

The decision to give the charge of the mid-day meal scheme to the NGO was put forward in the meeting as the administrator’s proposal. It was also mentioned in the meeting’s minutes. It was held on January 27th. The panchayat demanded that the existing menu must be continued but the members of the district panchayat allege that the new menu for Akshaya Patra, excluding meat times, was brought in by the education secretary.

Whereas the collector argues that meat items were excluded due to its severe scarcity but the people of Lakshadweep, says that when the farms in the island can cater to the demand for meat in the island’s schools, the present decision was taken by the administration to help the Bangalore based NGO.