On 17 March 2025, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant inaugurated The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s new centralised kitchen in a ceremony held at the premises in Pilerne Industrial Estate in North Goa. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has supported with essentials to build the NGO’s 78th kitchen which will work on a centralised model. Initially, Akshaya Patra will serve 2,500 beneficiary children in the state as a part of the Government of India’s flagship school feeding programme, the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan.

The Chief Guest for event was the Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, who inaugurated the new kitchen. Shri Kedar Naik, MLA - Saligao Assembly Constituency, Shri Prasad Lolayekar, IAS - Secretary (Education) and Dr. Sneha Gitte, IAS - Collector & District Magistrate North Goa, were the special guests. Shri Chanchalapathi Dasa, the Co-founder and Vice-chairman of Akshaya Patra, participated in the event. On behalf of NCPI, the anchor patron, Mr. Subhash Chandra Rai, Senior Lead CSR at National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), graced the event. Shri Bharatarshabha Dasa, the National President and Trustee of Akshaya Patra, and Mr Shridhar Venkat, the CEO, were also present on the occasion.

Speaking at the event, Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant said, “On the punyatithi of Shri Manohar Parrikar, I am heartened to see his vision of providing nutritious mid-day meals to children becoming a reality. It was his initiative to invite Akshaya Patra to Goa nearly a decade ago, and today, the efforts that began in 2013-14 have borne fruit. I extend my gratitude to the Akshaya Patra kitchen and its dedicated staff for their unwavering commitment. From this year, we are extending mid-day meals to students of classes IX and X in the surrounding areas. The students of Saligao, Calangute and Siolim constituencies are fortunate to benefit from this initiative, and we anticipate even better academic outcomes as a result. We are implementing this programme under the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan.” He congratulated Akshaya Patra on the inauguration of its 78th kitchen in Goa and expressed confidence in the beginning of a strong, long-running partnership.

NPCI Spokesperson said, “We are happy to support the establishment of the first Akshaya Patra Kitchen in Goa under our CSR initiative. This project will provide mid-day meals to 5,000 schoolchildren, contributing to their health and overall development. We deeply appreciate the dedicated efforts of the Government of Goa and The Akshaya Patra Foundation in driving this noble initiative.”

Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa, Founder and Chairman – The Akshaya Patra Foundation, expressed his delight saying, “The launch of our first kitchen in Goa marks a significant milestone in Akshaya Patra’s journey and we are deeply grateful to the Honourable Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant ji, and the Government of Goa for their steadfast support in making this a reality. Our partnership with the Government of Goa will enable us to serve nutritious mid-day meals to children in the state in line with our Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of Poshit Bharat Shikshit Bharat. The impact of the PM POSHAN programme on increasing school enrolment and attendance, enhancing nutrition and boosting learning capacities is evident, and we are privileged to contribute to this vital mission. We look forward to serving the children of Goa with dedication and care.” He also thanked the Ministry of Education and the Government of India for their continued support to the Foundation’s efforts over the last 24 years.

Shri Chanchalapathi Dasa, Co-Founder and Vice-Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation said: “We are immensely grateful to the Honourable Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant ji, for inaugurating our first kitchen in Goa and providing us with the kitchen facility. The support of the Government of Goa under his leadership has been pivotal for the beginning of this project for Akshaya Patra. We will leverage all our capabilities to serve the children in this region and support their health and education.” He further added, “I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for their invaluable support in setting up this kitchen. Their generosity has played a vital role in helping us set up the kitchen to serve nutritious and tasty meals to children in Goa.”

The new facility has been made possible through the generous support of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), whose contributions have played a crucial role in setting up this kitchen infrastructure. With a capacity to produce 5,000 meals daily, the facility is equipped with a 600-litre rice cauldron that prepares 1,250 meals in just 60 minutes and a 600-litre dal cauldron that ensures 2,000 meals in 90 minutes. The idli steamer, producing 2,000 idlis per hour, and the semi-automatic chapati machine, rolling out 2,000 chapatis per hour, ensure efficiency without compromising quality.

As a standard practice, Akshaya Patra serves food in accordance with the local palate across the country to improve consumption. In Goa, the Foundation’s menu will include items like chapatis, batata bhaji, vatana bhaji, vegetable korma, idli, sambar, soya chunks, mix-veg pulav, etc