World's largest mid-day meal program

The unique process and functioning of Mumbai dabbawallah is legendary today. It would not have and could have possibly died a death if not for attention from foreign celebrities, especially Prince Charles. He was one of the first hi-profile dignitaries who evinced interest in the dabbawallahs and that made us all sit up and take notice. Today, it has become almost fashionable for celebrities to pay them a visit.

And looks like the providers of the mid-day meal schemes – Akshay Patra is set to get global attention with Bill Clinton, making a visit to India, especially to see the way in which this NGO functions. India's Mid-Day Meal Scheme is one of the largest school lunch programme in the world, reaching out to nearly 120 million children in the country and the contribution of Akshay Patra is immense. Though all over India, Clinton with his special panache for Rajasthan, will be visiting the Jaipur facility, which caters lunch to over one lakh school-going children studying in various 493 schools. It employs 300 persons who prepare packed food through 65 vehicles.

The food is prepared under extremely hygienic conditions and there is a nutritive officer who prepares the menu for a month. The chappatis are made in custom made machines. The wheat and the rice are cleaned in a machine. The machine that is used for making chappatis produces 40,000 rotis (chappatis) in an hour’s time. And it is this wonder which Clinton wants to see and experience next week.