Midday Meal Scheme: India

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History

THE GROWING SCHEME

The Times of India 2013/07/18

Aug 15, 1995 | Union govt launches Midday Meal Scheme in 2,408 blocks as a dry rations scheme. Based on scheme running successfully in Tamil Nadu since 1960s. By 1997-98 introduced in all blocks

April 2002 | Cooked meals scheme extended to all Government-assisted primary schools, local body schools

Sept 2006 | Nutrition boost to scheme: Cooked meal with 450 calories, 12g protein to kids in primary classes (I-V)

April 2008 | Scheme expands to include all kids studying in schools and learning-centres like madrassas etc supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

By 2011-12, Over 2.4 million cooks/helpers mostly women engaged. Over 570,000 kitchens and stores in schools

2013: 10.7 crore children under scheme

Nutritional and hygienic servings have been major challenges in most states

Several scams busted where food-grain is pilfered, poor quality meals served

2012-13: Incidents when food poisoning took place

Midday Meal Scheme: The July 16 incident refers to the year 2013

Midday Meal Scheme in Delhi

Midday Meal Scheme in Delhi

QUALITY ISSUES in Delhi

The Times of India 2013/07/19

Meal quality is average and portions are smaller than prescribed size

Many students (7-13%) are not served meals in a day

None of the surveyed schools have kitchen sheds

Potable water is scarce, especially for the 2nd shift boys’ schools

Children are not encouraged to wash their hands before and after meals

Usually, suppliers receive food grains 50 days after supplying meals

Most schools do not display menus or the midday meal logo

Cooks-cum-helpers do not meet government norms

Schools do not discuss the meal scheme with parents Most schools do not maintain a receipts register for meals

(*Findings of the 4th Half-Yearly Monitoring Institution Report (April-September 2012) for the city’s East and Northeast districts)

CONCERNS

Meals deficient in vital vitamins and micro-nutrients.

In 2012, the corporations found 83% meals nutritionally deficient

Service hygiene | Utensils and dining areas often unclean; 3 incidents of food poisoning in the past three years

Budget | Cost per meal should be increased to at least Rs5