Aurobindo Pharma to establish centralised kitchen for students

Hyderabad: Aurobindo Pharma Foundation (APF), the philanthropic arm of Aurobindo Pharma Ltd, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation (HKMCF) to set up a centralised kitchen at its SEZ area in Perumallapuram near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. The kitchen will have a capacity of producing 5,000 plates of breakfastper day, with capacity to expand further in future.

U Kothapalli and Thondangi mandals near Kakinada have 40 government schoolsin 38 villages. There is a need for supporting these schools by providing nutritious breakfast prepared in hygienic conditions, for the students of these schools. Recognising the need, K Nithyanada Reddy, Director of Aurobindo Pharma Foundation and Managing Director & Vice Chairman, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd, have recently signed and exchanged the MoU with Kaunteya Dasa, CEO, HKMCF.

The project, with an outlay of Rs9.63crore, will cover the cost of construction of the kitchen, along with the required infrastructure/ equipment and operational costs of the kitchen for a period of 4 years from now. The kitchen will have a built-up area of 5,500 sft and will be situated on 2 acres. It will provide hot, nutritious breakfast in all the 40 government schools within a radius of 25-30 km through dedicated and modern food transportation vehicles benefitting around 6,300 children.

"We are extremely honoured to be signing this MoU with Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation (HKMCF). Aurobindo Pharma Foundation had previously collaborated with HKMCF to construct 3 centralised kitchens in Narsingi, Mahabubnagar in Telangana and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh which are running successfully and have produced around 9.50 crore meals till date.

This new kitchen project will encourage parents to send their children to school without worrying about their children being starved," K Nithyanada Reddy, Director, Aurobindo Pharma Foundation and Managing Director & Vice Chairman, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd, said.

"We consider it a privilege to support these schools and to provide good, hygienic and nutritious food that can help improve the health of these rural children. Aurobindo Pharma Foundation will conduct baseline and impact assessment studies for this project, which will be operationalised from the next academic year," he added.