Supply chain crunch reaches Odisha college canteens

The Odisha government has instructed principals of all government-run and government-aided colleges to reduce cooking oil consumption in campus canteens and avoid high-oil breakfast items such as puris, vadas and bondas. This directive was issued by the Higher Education Department Deputy Secretary, Ramesh Chandra Behera, on Friday, citing global supply-chain disruptions and the influence of geopolitical conflicts on food, fertiliser and fuel supplies.

Behera emphasized that the world has experienced repeated supply-chain disruptions and crises since the Covid-19 pandemic, with conflicts in Ukraine and Iran exacerbating food, fertiliser and fuel supply pressures. He noted that no country is immune to the economic impact of the crisis. The department highlighted that India is also facing the negative consequences of the prolonged global situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously appealed to citizens to contribute to addressing the country's challenges. The Higher Education Department directed principals to instruct college hostels and canteens to decrease cooking oil usage while preparing meals for students. The directive extends beyond college campuses, with National Service Scheme (NSS) and Youth Red Cross (YRC) volunteers being asked to organize awareness programs in their communities to encourage households to reduce cooking oil consumption in daily meals.