Indialends, 08 Apr 2021

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Mid day meal scheme

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The Mid-day meal scheme is a school meal program launched by the Government of India aiming to offer a better quality nutritional standing to school-aged children nationwide. Under this program, the government is supplying free lunch on the working days, for children in primary and upper classes in government-aided educational institutions, Madarsa, and Maqtabs that are having the support of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

The Midday meal is serving almost 120,000,00 children in over 1,265,000 schools and educational guarantee scheme centers.

The main objective of the Mid-day Meal Scheme

• For increasing the enrollment of the children belonging to disadvantaged sections in the schools.
• To increase the school attendance by leading enrollment
• For retaining students of classes 1-8.
• Providing nutritional support to the children of the elementary stage in drought-affected areas.

Features of Mid-Day-Meal Scheme

• It is one of the world’s largest school meal programs intended to achieve the goal of universalization of primary education.
• For the implementation of the scheme, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development is the authorized body to implement the scheme.
• It is a center-sponsored scheme, so, the cost is shared between the states and the center. Where the share of the center is 60 percent.
• The first state to implement the midday meal scheme.
• Till 2002, the scheme is designed especially for the government, government-aided and local body schools. But later on, the benefit of the mid-day meal scheme is extended to those children who were studying in educational guaranteed scheme centers or Alternative& Educational Centers.
• In 2004, the scheme is again revised, and central assistance is offered for the cooking cost.  Apart from that, the transport subsidy included for all states, maximum of Rs 100 per quintal is provided to the special category states and Rs 75 per quintal for other states.
• The provision of serving mid-day meals during summer vacation to the children in drought-affected areas was also added.
• In 2006, the cooking cost was enhanced to Rs 1.80 per child/ school day for states in North Eastern Region and Rs 1.50 per child/ school day for other states and UTs.
• In 2007, the scheme benefit is also extended to the children studying in the educationally Backwards Blocks.
• Apart from the calories and food intake, for micronutrients (tablets and deworming medicines), each child is entitled to receive the amount provided for in the school health program of the National Rural Health Mission.

Benefits of Mid-Day Meal Scheme

• It satisfies the hunger of many children
  
• Supplying nutrition to children of the poor section helps them in concentrating on their studies better.
• Students come to government schools daily and won't be asked to do labor work
• Addresses the issue of malnutrition

Bottom line

There is no doubt that school is the only place that contributes to the socio-economic development of society. Here children from various backgrounds come together for promoting the culture of unity and brotherhood. The education they receive at school prepares them to achieve their goals and lead a successful life.

When we talk about government schools, here children mostly come from economically challenged backgrounds. So, even though education schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan are being implemented, the difficult financial conditions force these children to skip school and go on work. 

In such kind of circumstances,  the real potential of mid-day meal surfaces. Mid-day meal acts as an attractive incentive for parents to send their children to school with the sole hope that the young ones will receive at least one plate full of the meal for the day.