New Delhi, July 6 -- Children in Kolkata's government schools will no longer receive eggs in their mid-day meals as the newly elected West Bengal government has entrusted meal preparation to a religious organization that shuns non-vegetarian ingredients. Eggs or not, does India need to improve its child nutrition indicators? Mint explores.

On 22 June, the budget presented by the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state announced that Iskcon, a Hindu religious organization, will provide "nutritious" meals to children attending government schools in Kolkata.

Iskcon does not serve non-vegetarian food, including eggs, meat and fish, or ingredients such as onion and garlic. It has said animal-based proteins in school meal...