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On August 15, 1995, India launched the ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE).’ In October 2007, it was renamed the ‘National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools,’ popularly called the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme.
All students enrolled in government schools, local municipal schools, government-aided schools, special training centers (STC), maktabs, and madrasas funded by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan receive one meal every day under the MDM plan. Every child from six to fourteen years old who is enrolled in and attending school receives cooked meals. Meals are served to students in Classes I through VIII.
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How is the PM POSHAN scheme different from the Mid-Day Meal Scheme?
The redesigned plan would run for five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26, with the cost of Rs 1,30,794.90 crore. The government anticipates that it will assist 11.80 crore students in 11.20 lakh institutions across India. In the following aspects, the system differs from the mid-day meal scheme:
- The revised system will focus on monitoring schoolchildren’s nutritional status in addition to delivering healthful meals.
- A nutritional specialist will be assigned to each school to guarantee that pupils’ BMI, weight, and hemoglobin levels are checked.
- Special supplies for nutritious goods will be made in districts with a significant prevalence of anemia.
- The government is indeed contemplating establishing nutrition farms on school grounds, including student participation.
- Cooking competitions based on local commodities might also be staged as part of the initiative to promote ethnic food and unique menus.
What is a Mid-Day meal?
All students enrolling in government schools, government-aided education institutions, local body classrooms, special training centers (STC), madrasas, and maktabs funded by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) receive one meal a day.
Objectives of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme
The MDM scheme’s primary objectives are as follows:
- Promote the enrollment of students from underprivileged backgrounds in schools.
- Increasing enrollment leads to higher school attendance.
- To keep children in grades 1-8 enrolled.
- To give nutritional support to elementary-aged children in drought-affected communities.
Features of Mid-Day Meal Scheme
- It’s really the nation’s biggest school meal program, with the goal of achieving primary education universalization.
- The program is to be implemented by the Ministry of Education (formerly referred to as the Ministry of Human Resources and Development).
- Because it is a federally funded program, the costs are split between the federal government and the states. (The Center’s stake is 60%.)
- Tamil Nadu is the first state to roll out the noon meal program.
- MDMS became a cooked midday meal scheme in 2001, with each qualifying kid receiving a cooked midday meal for a least 200 days:
- 300 calories are consumed.
- 8 to 12 grams of protein each day
- Until 2002, the initiative was limited to government, government-aided, and local government schools. Children enrolled in Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) centers were later added to the scheme.
- MDMS was amended in 2004:
- Central aid for cooking costs was offered.
- Transportation subsidies are provided for all states, with a maximum of Rs 100 per quintal in special category states and Rs 75 per quintal for other states.
- It was also decided to offer noon lunches to youngsters from drought-affected communities throughout their summer vacation.
- The MDMS was updated again in 2006, with cooking costs increased to Rs 1.80 per student per school day for states in the North Eastern Region and Rs 1.50 per student day for other states and UTs.
- The nutritional norm has been revised: energy consumption has been increased from 300 to 450 calories, and protein intake has been increased from 8 to 12 grams.
- Class 6-8 students from 3,479 Educationally Backwards Blocks (EBBs) were involved in the initiative in 2007.
- In 2008, this system comprised SSA-supported madrasas and maktabs.
- Aside from calories and food, each kid is entitled to the quantity specified in the National Rural Health Mission’s school health program for nutrients (medicines and deworming medications).
Mid-Day Meal Rules, 2015
The Midday Meal Rules 2015 were published on September 30, 2015, in accordance with the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013.
Schools are allowed to use other resources for midday meals under MDM standards if MDM funds are insufficient.
When schools and other needed entities are unable to deliver prepared meals to children, food allowances are to be provided to dependents.
Accredited labs will conduct random monthly testing of meals.
According to the MDM guidelines 2015, if students in any school do not receive food for three consecutive school days or five days in a month, the responsible state government must hold responsibility toward a person or an organization.
Features of Mid-Day Meal Rules, 2015
- Every child in classes 1–8 between the ages of six and fourteen is entitled to a healthy prepared lunch every day, excluding school holidays, with the following dietary requirements:
- For the preparation of midday meals, the schools purchase AGMARK grade commodities.
- Meals are only to be served on school grounds.
- Each school should have a sanitary cooking facility to prepare midday meals.
- The School Management Committees (SMCs) play an important role in MDMS monitoring. SMSC is mandated under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009, also known as the Right to Education Act.
- The headmaster or headmistress has the authority to use school money due to the depletion of the midday food fund. However, after the school is credited with the MDM budget, the money must be returned to the midday meal fund.
- The State Food and Drug Administration may collect samples to check the nutritional content and quality of the meals.
- When prepared meals are not delivered due to unforeseen circumstances, the following food allowance will be offered to the children – Amount of food grains as per the child’s entitlement; and State cooking costs.
How is the Midday Meal Scheme implemented?
It is carried out using one of three approaches:
- Decentralized model – Meals prepared on-site by local chefs, self-help organizations, and so on.
- Centralized model – Instead of a local on-site chef, an external entity makes meals and distributes them to schools under this approach.
International assistance – A variety of international charitable groups assist educational institutions.
Cons of the Midday Meal Scheme
- Cooks who prepare the midday meal do not get regular compensation, which may impede their productivity.
- Poor food quality: Because large quantities of food must be produced and distributed to pupils, there is a high possibility that the food contains worms or is of poor quality.
- Food waste: Due to poor food quality, many students may not consume their meals and instead toss them away, resulting in food waste.
- Lack of healthy food: Because the food offered may be of low quality, the high quality of food that must be prepared also contributes to a lack of nutrients in the meal.
- Money defrauding: Fake enrolments are on the rise as a result of the supply of the mid-day meal plan, which causes a financial dilemma.
