Facts & Figures of Akshaya Patra


What are the other modes through which Akshaya Patra raises funds?

Offline fundraising, online fundraising, CSR and through fundraising events.

Does Akshaya Patra have permission from the State and/or Central Government for collecting donations for the mid-day meal programme?

Yes, we do.

Ministry of Finance, Government of India: Akshaya Patra, an eligible project:
In the year 2003, we applied to the National Committee for Promotion of Social and Economic Welfare, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, explaining our mid-day meal programme. This committee is headed by the former Chief Justice of India and several other prominent citizens from all over the country.

On examining our programme, Akshaya Patra was recommended as an eligible project by this National Committee to raise donations up to Rs.22 crores and grant 100% tax benefits to the donors. This committee reviewed our programme in the year 2006, and further extended the benefits of 100% tax exemption to the donors for another three years. In the year 2009, Akshaya Patra programme was reviewed and the tax exemption benefit to the donors was renewed for another three years.

In our application to the National Committee, we had clearly indicated the basis for the sustainability of the programme as follows:

Conversion cost support from State Government 25%
Subsidized grain allotment 25%
Donations 45%
Others 5%


 

We have also been filing statements of donations raised before the National Committee.

The Ministry of Human Resources Department Guidelines encourages voluntary contributions:

The Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, has issued guidelines for conduct of the mid-day meal programme and one of the clauses states:
 The Guidelines, in Annexure IX Para 7: "The state government shall be fully responsible in implementing the program through NGOs support either for a cooked meal or pre cooked food variant in eligible schools. To this extent the State Government or the NGO concerned, may mobilize resources for conversion of food grains in to a cooked meal."

In addition, the Guidelines of revised National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education, 2004, encourages voluntary contributions from the community to improve the meal.

Voluntary Community Support for Mid-Day Meal to be encouraged

Members of the community should be encouraged and invited to contribute towards providing a wholesome meal to children. There are many social occasions like religious festivals, marriages, etc. when local families will be happy to contribute a special dish or a sweet to the school Mid-Day Meal programme. This, as also other voluntary contributions from the community (say, in the form of cooking device/cooker, utensils, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, etc.) should be encouraged.

The Akshaya Patra Trust Deed Empowers Raising Donations:

The trust deed of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, which is a trust registered in Bangalore, empowers the Board of Trustees to raise donations. The clause states:

8.xi To accept gifts, donations or contributions from individuals, corporate and non-profit organizations around the world so far as they are not inconsistent with the objects of the trust.

This trust deed has been filed with the various departments of the Government in the last several years.

Private-Public Partnership Model:

The mid-day meal programme is conducted in the Private-Public Partnership model within the guidelines of the Government. Civic society participation in nation building is one of the important aspects of the Government's mid-day meal programme. Many eminent citizens of the country have given donations and supported us in this programme.

Other NGOs also raise donations:

There are many other NGOs providing mid-day meals in the country like Nandi Foundation (Hyderabad), Adamya Chetana (Bangalore) and ISKCON Food for Life Foundation (Mumbai) and all of them also raise donations from the public to conduct the Mid-day Meal Program. All these NGOs also have websites and solicit donations online and offline for their mid-day meal programs.

Hence it is incorrect to say that the fund raising by Akshaya Patra is without permission of the Government.

Civic Society Participation in Nation Building:

Further, in a mature and civilised society, the civic society's impetus to contribute and participate in the development of the weaker sections of the society should be encouraged. This is a universal fact and Akshaya Patra has been encouraging the public, corporations and foundations to support this programme for the benefit of the children.

Gold Shield Award for Financial Reporting:

Akshaya Patra has robust accounting standards and policies, and complies with sound disclosure norms. We are audited routinely and we regularly file our accounts with the various Government authorities.

Click here to view our reports

Recognising this, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India conferred the Gold Shield Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting to The Akshaya Patra Foundation for 5 consecutive financial years beginning with 2008-2009 till 2012-13.

Yet Another Benefit to the Government:


The Government spends Rs. 60,000 per school to set up the kitchen infrastructure for providing meals. In the case of schools where Akshaya Patra is providing the meals, the Government does not have to set up the kitchen and hence this amount is saved.In Karnataka, Akshaya Patra is providing meals in more than 2,627 schools, which means a saving of over (Rs. 60,000 per school x 2,627 schools = ) Rs. 157 million (15.7 crores) to the Government.

Does Akshaya Patra have permission of the Government to receive donations from foreign countries?

Yes, it does.

For receiving donations from foreign countries, Akshaya Patra has taken the permission from Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, under Foreign Contributions (Regulations) Act and the statements of all donations received are being reported to the Home Ministry year after year.

The foreign donations that we receive is a small percentage of our total requirement (about 10%) and it is mostly from a few well known industrialists of Indian origin.

 

How much does it cost to set up a centralized kitchen to cook for about 1 lakh meals?

- The cost of setting up a kitchen for North Indian menu is about Rs.9 crores.
- The cost of setting up a kitchen for South Indian menu is about Rs. 8 crores

What are the main cost components of a centralized kitchen?

The main cost components of a centralized kitchen are:
- Civil works
- Kitchen equipments
- Delivery vehicles
- Stainless steel Delivery vessels
- Others.

What is the contribution from the Government towards the cost of setting up centralized kitchens?

There is no contribution from the Government, either Central or State, towards the cost of setting up centralized kitchens. The Akshaya Patra Foundation raises donations from individuals, institutions, foundations and corporations to meet these expenses.

Where can I see the cost per meal break-up?

The cost of meal break-up falls under the following heads:
Direct costs:
o Cost of meal preparation
o Distribution expenses

Indirect costs
o Administration and other expenses
o Publicity and promotion expenses

For more information visit How is your money spent?

Is there a need for Akshaya Patra to raise donations in addition to the government subsidies?

Yes, there is a need to raise donations to meet the following expenses:
1. To set up large centralized kitchens. 
2. To maintain the large kitchen infrastructure.
3. To meet the cost of running expenses, over and above the subsidies provided by the government.

How does Akshaya Patra justify the cost effectiveness of its operations?

1. Akshaya Patra provides a sumptuous three or more item menu. This meal meets the nutritional requirements of children, complying with the Government norms.

2. Please note that the meal is wholesome and served in unlimited quantity (except rotis which is limited to two per child for class 1 to 5 and three per child for class 6 to 8)

3. We strive to meet the Government norms in terms of consumption of dal, vegetables and oil. Curds are also served from South Indian kitchens. 

4. In addition, an item like sambar can be made with lesser dhal and vegetables as well to reduce the cost, but Akshaya Patra has always strived to provide a certain standard meal for the benefit of the children.

5. Our model kitchens enable us to deliver. Cost is incurred for set up and maintenance of same.


 

What does Akshaya Patra do with the unused government rice?

We return unused rice or draw less rice for the next month. This practice is followed in all our Akshaya Patra kitchens.
Secondly we are making attempts how to increase the intake of grains by children as the government norms is to feed 100 grams per meal. Our experience has been that the children in Bangalore, Hubli and Bellary schools do not consume 100 grams despite a three item menu including curds.
We have also informed about our experience of the actual consumption of grains in different parts of the country to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, New Delhi.

Were there some allegations against Akshaya Patra program in the Legislative Assembly of the Government of Karnataka? What was the outcome of this?

Some persons with vested interests had misinformed a few MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) due to which certain questions were raised and allegations made in the Legislative Assembly of the Government of Karnataka in April 2007. 

Subsequently to clarify all misinformation and clean up the image of Akshaya Patra, we requested the Education Department of the Government Karnataka to conduct an investigation on all questions and allegations made against Akshaya Patra. A three-member committee consisting of Gazette Superintendent, Assistant Director and Accounts Superintendent was set up to conduct the investigation.

On 10-07-2007 the three-member committee's report was communicated by the Joint Director, Mid-day Meal Program, Department of Education to the Secretary, Department of Primary Education, Government of Karnataka. An excerpt of the concluding paragraph of the report says:

"Akshaya Patra is conducting the mid-day meal program since 2001-02 in association with the government. No malpractices of discrepancies have been found in the execution of the program. There have been no instances of any adverse effects of the meals on the children. No instances of misappropriation or misuse of funds and grains provided by the government were found during the investigation. When all these information is scrutinized, I find that the allegations made by Sri Venkataswamy are far from truth."

Having fallen victims of base human frailties like envy and jealousy of the stellar growth and the good name that Akshaya Patra has earned since inception in the year 2000, certain resentful agents are on a maligning campaign of the Foundation and its leadership. These agents are trying to distort the facts and misrepresent the intent of the program with a spiteful objective to disturb the faith of the donors and supporters of this program. Hence we have tried to address these issues in the form of the FAQs given above.

What is unique about the Akshaya Patra mid-day meal program?

1. A strategic initiative to address two crucial and inter-linked issues: hunger and illiteracy
2. A wholesome, nutritious, three-item menu, prepared in stringent hygienic conditions, as per the nutritionist's recommendations

Our program is :
1. Implemented using a technology-intensive, centralized and decentralised models that can be efficiently scaled and replicated
2. Secular, and inclusive, with the child as the focus 
3. Transparent, professionally managed, and run by a Board of Trustees, with the support of committed professionals and volunteers.
 

Does Akshaya Patra receive government funding?

Yes, Akshaya Patra receives a grains and cash subsidy.

Is Akshaya Patra a registered charity in India?

 Yes, Akshaya Patra is a registered charity under the Indian Trust Act 1882(Reg. No 154)

What is the Akshaya Patra's PAN Number?

Akshaya Patra's PAN Number : AAATT6468P

WHY DO WE NEED THE PROGRAM

  • To make social change more inclusive through wider participation from community members.
  • To curate a tribe of youth leaders who are empathetic, creative & committed to bring social change.
  • To provide an effective platform to youth leaders to engineer social change by leveraging their unique skills.

WHO IS IT FOR?

  • Emerging leaders who are open for immersion into a reflective and socially impactful program to find their True North.
  • Young professionals who have a desire to contribute and leverage their skills & expertise towards social change.
  • Promising leaders who are keen to hone and further enhance their leadership skills.

WHAT WILL WE LEARN?

  • Empathy: Experience & engage with the world with a new perspective that allows you to understand & connect better with people around you.
  • Creativity: An opportunity to design from scratch and execute a project that channelizes support for impact initiatives serving vulnerable communities.
  • Leadership: Leading a micro movement that calls out for enrolling supporter & resources, beyond the realm of designations & work environment, will help you grow as a leader.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

  • Orchestrated engagement for an six months, concurrent to the existing vocations of fellows
  • Local Immersions to connect & help build a perspective on social change
  • Master Classes with inspirational leaders from varied backgrounds
  • Diverse, cross sectional cohort
  • Ingenious Capstone projects to facilitate positive social change

NOTE: Accounting for public health realities, most engagements/orientations for the 2022 cohort will be in virtual/regional formats.

WHO IS IT FOR?

  • Emerging leaders who are open for immersion into a reflective and socially impactful program to find their True North.
  • Young professionals who have a desire to contribute and leverage their skills & expertise towards social change.
  • Promising leaders who are keen to hone and further enhance their leadership skills.

WHAT WILL WE LEARN?

  • Empathy: Experience & engage with the world with a new perspective that allows you to understand & connect better with people around you.
  • Creativity: An opportunity to design from scratch and execute a project that channelizes support for impact initiatives serving vulnerable communities.
  • Leadership: Leading a micro movement that calls out for enrolling supporter & resources, beyond the realm of designations & work environment, will help you grow as a leader.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

  • Orchestrated engagement for an six months, concurrent to the existing vocations of fellows
  • Local Immersions to connect & help build a perspective on social change
  • Master Classes with inspirational leaders from varied backgrounds
  • Diverse, cross sectional cohort
  • Ingenious Capstone projects to facilitate positive social change

Corporate Partnerships (Acquistions)

  • Location: Bangalore, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad
  • Experience: 3+ Years
  • Job Description:
    • Create & Maintain Database of potential donors
    • Raise CSR funding from large corporate & SME, International foundations and multilateral aid agencies
    • Represent organization at forums, events
    • Plan & Execute Employee Giving Programs, Cause Related Marketing Campaigns
  • Must Have:
    • 2+ years of experience in B2B sales with at least 1 year of CSR (including cold-calling, seeking appointments and doing meetings, proposal writing, finalizing contracts)
    • Fluent verbal and written communications in English with excellent Power Point & Excel Skills
      Great people skills – to create new and maintain existing relationships
  • Please share your resume to [email protected]

Direct Marketing

  • Location: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Gurgaon
  • Experience: 2-6 years
  • Job Description:
    • F2F – (Street Funding) Raising donation through the direct marketing, like street funding, High Foot fall locations like Malls, weekly Haats.
    • Corporate Funding : Donation from Medium & Small industries (MSEM)
    • Corporate activities : Donation through Corporate activities like, Payroll giving activities
    • Segmented Donation : Profession segmentation, Like Doctors, Lawyers, Automobiles etc;
    • Community building activities : Like Residential community, Common professional Community etc
    • You should be able to generate ideas for sales promotions & events that are in line with the organizations objectives.
  • Must Have:
    • Any Graduate/Post-Graduate with 2-6 years of relevant experience
    • Experience in fund raising and donor relationship a plus Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
    • Knowledge of local language is a must
    • Ability to work within deadlines and meet fundraising targets

    Must have a passion to work in the development sector with a flair for extensive networking

  • Interested candidates, who meet the positions requirements, are requested to send in their applications along with CV at [email protected]

SRO (School Relationships Officer)

  • Location: Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
  • Experience: 3+ years
  • Job Description:
    • Coordinate the volunteering activities, school visits, school projects
    • Guest handling, planning and execute
    • Coordinate with Fund raising team, Project team, Donor team for school and Kitchen visits
    • Support to facility management all kind of Inaugurations like Vehicle, vessels, Kitchen etc
    • Support to kitchen events
    • Visits/inspection to the Schools based on requirements
    • Creative/ innovative thinking and conceptualization skills.
    • Good presentation skills
  • Must Have:

    Good Communication Skills, Local Language is MUST

  • Please share your resume to [email protected]

PMO

  • Location: Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
  • Experience: 5+ years
  • Job Description:
    • Work with IT teams pan India to drive BOQ preparation, validate BOQ, PR and PO against AOP, Track budgets vs actual spends.
    • Act as PMO managing IT projects will require significant co-ordination.
    • Experienced in preparing project plans and should have the ability to report data using excel / PowerPoint
    • IT Asset Management, Ticket Analysis, Software License Management
    • Track all software and hardware warranties, license and dates and renewals
    • Invoice management of all IT related payments
  • Must Have:

    Soft Skills Required :-
    •Good Communication skills
    • Fluency in English, other languages a plus
    • Good oral and written communication
    • Excellent organizational and time-management skills
    • Strong analytical skills

    Technical skills :-
    • Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
    • Knowledge of Project management tools preferred: Smart sheet/MS Project

  • Please share your resume to [email protected]

Manager or Sr. Manager – Govt Relations

  • Location: Mumbai
  • Experience: 5 to 10 Years
  • Job Description:
    • Responsible for all govt communication in the form of proposals or letters etc. Should be able to understand the Govt policies and work with the Govt to ensure proper support Akshaya Patra’s partnership with the Govt.
    • Relationship building: Developing contacts with Govt officials- Bureaucrats, Govt officers and Politicians. Fix regular meetings for the Regional President/ PR head with the Bureaucrats, Politician.
    • Reply to Govt letters/notices and regular engagement with Govt: To reply to govt queries and ensure better communication with the Govt machinery. Ensure that govt machinery at all levels are aware of the services of Akshaya Patra Foundation. Ensure regular visits of the officials and politicians to the kitchens and schools.
    • The person will be engaging with Councillors (Corporators), MLAs, Ex MLAs, MP, Ex MPs, Cabinet Ministers, IAS officers and Govt officials who are part of the Govt machinery and who are key stakeholders of Akshaya Patra’s services.
    • It is important that all these stake holders are regularly shared the Annual report, Rashmi Bansal’s book and other collaterals of TAPF so that they carry good opinion of the services of Akshaya Patra.
  • Must Have:
    • The person should know to Read, Write and Speak Marathi.
    • Govt related event management
    • Leveraging the goodwill to improve the services of Akshaya Patra to beneficiaries
    • Good at understanding the working of PPP model in which Akshaya Patra Foundation works with Govt and its beneficiaries.
    • Good understanding of govt policies and practical realities of Akshaya Patra’s operations to act as a bridge between Govt and Akshaya Patra Foundation
  • Please share your resume to [email protected]

Finance

  • Location: Jagatpura, Jaipur
  • Experience: 3+Yrs
  • Job Description:
    • Monitoring of day to day accounting, Posting of JV to GL
    • Verification of documents and supportive before processing of trans
    • Donation and subsidy accounting
    • Closure of month end and preparation of MIS
    • Timely payment of all the statutory dues and filling of returns
    • Compliance of Donor and Govt MoU
    • Verification of CS, processing of payments, compliance of SLA
    • Branch visits, and coordination with respective departments
  • Must Have:
    • Minimum two years of work experience required
    • Candidate having good knowledge of subject matters specially of NPO’s
    • Candidate should have good knowledge of MS excel
    • Candidate should open to travel (within India)

Data Analyst - BI

  • Location: Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
  • Experience:
  • Job Description:
    • Collaborate with stakeholders to understand their business needs and translate them into actionable insights.
    • Gather and analyse business requirements to develop insightful and interactive Power BI dashboards and reports.
    • Create and maintain a variety of visualizations and data models to support data-driven decision-making across the organization.
    • Develop and execute SQL queries to extract, transform, and load data from various sources into the Snowflake data warehouse.
    • Work with AWS cloud services to manage and optimize data storage and processing.
    • Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and provide regular reports to support business objectives.
  • Must Have:
    • Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., Business, Computer Science, Data Analytics).
    • Proven experience (2+ years) working with Power BI, SQL, AWS cloud services, and Snowflake data warehouse.
    • Strong data visualization skills and the ability to create meaningful insights from data.
    • Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities.
    • Strong communication skills to interact with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
    • AWS and Power BI certifications (preferred).
  • Please share your resume to [email protected]

Process Excellence

  • Location: Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
  • Experience: 3+Yrs
  • Job Description:
    • Implement various manufacturing and enterprise level process excellence programs like TPM, LSS, Kaizens, variability reduction projects, improvement programs, 5S, process mapping, trainings and process excellence projects – PAN India TAPF
    • Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

    Others –

    • Ability to perform assigned responsibilities, duties, and tasks according to established practices, procedures, techniques and standards with minimal supervision within the assigned time frame.
    • Practical Implementation Knowledge in process excellence methodologies such 5S Implementation, LSS , TPM, ISO, process mapping, metrics, Maturity Model etc. Experience in food / fmcg manufacturing industry preferred.

    Qualifications –

    • Science/Engineering Bachelor’s degree from an accredited University + MBA operations (full time)
    • Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written (Kannada- Basics, Hindi & English) Speaking, problem solving and analytical skills
    • Completed Training in 5S, Lean, TPM, ISO & Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training from a reputed organization.
    • Good expertise in Microsoft excel, PPT, word, Excellent Communication skills
    • Strong ability to learn and apply new concepts
    • Willing to travel across India for process excellence activity.
    • Ability to work shifts as required
  • Must Have:
     

Industrial Relations - Senior Manager

  • Location: Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
  • Experience: 10-15 Yrs
  • Job Description:

    This role has core focus on Industrial Relations, Leading the development and delivery of Labour Relations strategies. A high calibre individual with energy, resilience and strong relationship management ability who will bring ideas and experience of new ways of doing things. Tasked with changing and modernising behaviours and building positive relationships with management. He / she must be accustomed to managing difficult negotiations using strong stakeholder management experience to build momentum and positive change. Robust, motivated and determined, the individual will have a clear passion for the area with the ability to operate successfully in a complex business.

    Job Description :

    • Build IR skills and expertise across Kitchens, including capabilities in labour legislations.
    • Co-ordinate and integrate all IR activity across the Kitchens into a coherent plan
    • Set direction, create policy and offer expert advice in all matters relating to collective bargaining and industrial relations issues, labour laws Etc
    • Support CHRO in annual blue collar Manpower budgeting, Planning & deployment.
    • Identify current & potential risks at kitchens and evolve plans to mitigate.
    • Work with CHRO, Operations Managers and Kitchen / Cluster HR Partners to develop pay and other negotiating mandates for use across all bargaining groups
    • Initiatives/ implementation of sound IR practices and for improving employee performance and satisfaction working in kitchens across the regions.
    • Integration and standardization of IR systems and processes across all Kitchens
    • Build IR skills and expertise across the Kitchens, including capabilities in labour legislations.
    • Support and align cultural and behavioural change necessary for all kitchens IR/ER programmes
    • Handle labour dispute between employee and AkshayaPatra, as a liaison to the government, and as a management representative
    • Lead the compliance tools and assure the data sanctity with due compliance, using new digital platforms and share best practice in the field of Industrial Relations
    • Responsible for updating self on the changes to labour laws, arbitration/court decisions and anything else that may affect management relations or employee-management relations.
    • Strong knowledge of Factory Act, Contract Labour (R&A) Act, BOCW Act, Inter State Migrant Act, EPF, ESIC, and other applicable labour laws
    • Excellent decision making & problem solving skills
    • Liaison with relevant government agencies, departments and other external stakeholders to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
    • Review and evaluate the organization’s policies, procedures, and programs to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and make recommendations for change
    • Handling complaints, managing grievance procedures, and facilitating counselling in conjunction with other stakeholders and sharing the written reports to CHRO on timely basis.
    • Any other responsibility that may be assigned by the management as required from time to time

  • Must Have:

    • 10-15 years of experience in IR roles, with a focus on Manufacturing / Food manufacturing / Industrial settings.
    • Proven experience in successfully setting up IR functions in greenfield projects is a plus.
    • Demonstrate high emotional intelligence and empathy
    • Should be willing to Travel Pan India
    • Excellent Written and Oral Communication Skills, English and Hindi Mandatory

Purchase - Executive / Sr Executive

  • Location: Kandi, Hyderabad
  • Experience: 3+Yrs
  • Job Description:

    Responsible for sourcing , negotiation with vendor and preparation of CS and its approvals
    • Followup of GRN for the purchases and documents filing .
    • Preparation of purchase orders and issuing delivery schedules to the suppliers.
    • Follow up with the vendors to receive the right quality material in time.
    • To follow up till the material delivery and final settlement of payment to vendor
    • requesting for payment and tracking of payments
    • Performing cost saving actions by conducting proper negotiations, Value additions.
    • Preparing and projecting monthly procured data’s to management information.
    • Ready to travel and reallocate anywhere in India as per the requirement
    • Conducting Order review and Planning as per the requirement
    • coordination with internal and external stake holders for smooth transactions.
    • Floating RFQ as per the indent/requirement and processing for Comparative statement.

    Others –

    To work ERP tool, Good at excel
    Good skills in sourcing, vendor development & negotiation. Supporting the internal and external customers

  • Must Have:
     

The Best Way to Make a Difference in the Lives of Others