Karnataka Launches Food Transparency for Schools

Feb. 27, 2025, 12:44 p.m.

The Social Welfare Department has launched a pilot project in Karnataka to ensure transparency and quality in meals served at schools and hostels. The initiative, rolled out in Bidar, Chamarajanagar, and Raichur districts, requires wardens to provide real-time updates on meals using social media. This project encompasses 68 residential schools, 215 pre-matric and 713 post-matric hostels, and 821 institutions under the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS), catering to over 4.4 lakh students from SC, ST, and backward classes.

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Wardens must upload GPS-tagged photos of each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) on X, with time, date, and details about food quality, quantity, and kitchen conditions. Posts are scheduled for breakfast by 9 AM, lunch by 1:30 PM, and dinner by 7:30 PM, tagging district and departmental accounts for accountability.

Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa called the initiative a bold step towards accountability and trust, ensuring daily quality meals for students. Principal Secretary P. Manivannan highlighted the use of technology and social media as tools for governance and public engagement. A dedicated webpage, foodswdgok.in, consolidates all participating institutions' social media accounts to improve accessibility. Training has been provided to wardens on using X effectively, with plans for further sessions as required.