FAQs Mid Day Meal

Q. No. 1

Question Reply Who is eligible to participate in the All children studying in Government/Local Mid Day Meal Programme? Body, Government Aided Schools and Centres run under the Education Guarantee Scheme(EGS) and Alternative Innovative Education (AIE) are eligible to participate in the Mid Day Meal Programme. How does the Mid Day Meal Mid Day meal benefits benefit school children? children by:school going

1. Contributing to improvement in their nutritional status; 2. Encouraging poor children, belonging to disadvantaged sections, to attend school more regularly and helping them concentrate on classroom activities. 3. Providing nutritional support to children of primary stage in drought-affected areas during summer vacation. How does it contribute to Mid day meal helps in improving the improving the quality of education? quality of education/ learning levels of the children. Many children reach school on an empty stomach. Even children who have had a meal before they leave for school get hungry by the afternoon and are not able to concentrate. After taking mid day meal, such children are able to concentrate better on classroom activities. What are the suggested food items For children in classes I V, a meal with a available to children in the Mid nutritional value of 450 calories and 12 gms. Day Meal and who decides it? of protein is provided. For children in upper primary classes, a meal containing 700 calories and 20 gms of protein is provided. In addition to rice/chapattis, the meal includes pulses, vegetables depending upon local availability. Some States are also providing eggs, fruit etc. The weekly menu is decided by the local authorities i.e. village Panchayat, VEC, Self-Help Groups, etc. Some States have also prescribed weekly menu for all schools, giving options for

alterations as per the local availability. In what way can mothers can play a Mothers of children studying in schools can better role in improving the quality help supervise the preparation and serving of Mid Day Meal? meal to children. Does it also provide the employment for women? What is the mechanism by which it is ensured that a wholesome and nutritious meal is served regularly to children? The Scheme has generated employment opportunities for women as cooks/helpers. Representatives of Gram Panchayats/Gram Sabhas, members of VECs, PTAs, SDMCs as well as Mothers Committees can monitor the (i) regularity and wholesomeness of the mid day meal served to children, (ii) cleanliness in cooking and serving, (iii) timeliness in procurement of good quality ingredients, fuel, etc., (iv) implementation of varied menu, (v) social and gender equity. This should be done on a daily basis. What is the financial assistance Besides free foodgrains @ 100 gms per provided by the Central child/school day for primary classes and 150 Government under this gms per child/school day for upper primary Programme? classes, Central Government provides assistance for cooking cost as under: I. PRIMARY
(a) States in NorthEastern Region For Other States & UTs @Rs. 1.80 per child per school day, provided the State Govt. contributes a minimum of 20 paise per child per day @Rs. 1.50 per child per school day provided the State Govt./UT Admn. Contributes a minimum of 50 paise per child per day

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(b)

II. UPPER PRIMARY (a) States in @Rs. 2.30 per child per Northschool day, provided the Eastern State Govt. contributes a Region minimum of 20 paise per child per day (b) For @Rs. 2.00 per child per Other school day provided the State States & Govt./UT Admn. Contributes UTs a minimum of 50 paise per child per day

Does Central Government provide For construction of kitchen sheds cum stores, support for construction of kitchen Central Government provides a grant @ Rs. sheds cum stores and for 60,000/ per unit. The Central Government is

procurement of kitchen devices?

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Does the Central government ensure that Mid Day Meal contains minimum amount of protein required for children?

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Who decides the menu for the Mid Day Meal?

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What are the effects of Mid Day Meal on the girl child?

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Is it mandatory for school to display the menu for Mid Day Meal on the notice boards? How do children from minority communities benefit from the Mid day Meal scheme?

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What are the impact of Mid Day Meal on out of school children?

also encouraging states to ensure convergence with other infrastructure development programmes, including for example Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) and MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) Programme. One time grant @ Rs. 5000/- per school is also provided for replacement/provisioning of kitchen equipments/devices. The meal prepared from free foodgrains and cooking cost provided to States plus States own minimum mandatory contribution provides 450 calories and 12 gms of protein for primary classes and 700 calories and 20 gms of protein for upper primary classes. States prepare indicative menus using locally available and culturally acceptable food items. The weekly menu is decided by the local authorities i.e. village Panchayats, VEC, Self-Help Groups, etc. The gender gap in school participation tends to narrow, as the Mid Day Meal Scheme helps erode the barriers that prevent girls from going to school. Mid Day Meal Scheme also provide a useful source of employment for women, and helps liberate working women from the burden of cooking at home during the day. In these and other ways, women and girl children have a special stake in Mid Day Meal Scheme. As per Guidelines of the Scheme, schools are required to display, among other information, Daily Menu also. All children, including those belonging to minority community, studying in classes I to VIII in Government, local body and Government aided schools and in Centres run under EGS and AIE Schemes are provided mid day meal. Children studying in the recognized Madaras/Maktabs are also included for coverage under the scheme. Findings of the evaluation studies by independent organizations in various states enclosed as Annexure-I show that enrolment in schools has increased due to Mid Day

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Meal Scheme. The Mid Day Meal Programme is the largest feeding programme in the world. Implementation of the Programme across the country in about 10 lakhs schools and covering about 12 crores children even in the remotest village is itself a success story. How can the Government ensure In order to ensure that there is transparency transparency and accountability in and accountability, all schools and centres the implementation of Mid Day where the programme is being implemented Meal Scheme? are required to display information on a suomoto basis. This includes information on What are the popular formats/success stories on Mid Day Meal schemes which observed in states? (i) Quantity of food grains received, date of receipt. (ii) Quantity of food grains utilized (iii) Other ingredients purchased, utilized (iv) Number of children given mid day meal. (v) Daily Menu (vi) Roster of Community Members involved in the programme

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What are the achievements of Mid Mid Day meals have big effects on school Day Meal? participation, not just in terms of getting more children enrolled in the registers but also in terms of regular pupil attendance on a daily basis. Mid Day Meal helps overcome classroom hunger as many children come to school empty stomach or, those coming from distant places, again feel hungry on reaching school, and thus cannot concentrate on studies. Mid day meal acts as a regular source of supplementary nutrition for children, which facilitates their healthy growth. Mid day meal provides an opportunity to impart good habits to children (such as washing ones hands before and after eating) and educates them about the importance of

clean water, good hygiene and other related matters. Mid day meal also helps in spreading egalitarian values, as children from various social backgrounds learn to sit together and share a common meal. In particular, mid day meal can help to break the barriers of caste and class among school. Appointing cooks from Dalit communities is another way of teaching children to overcome caste prejudices. The gender gap in school participation tends to narrow, as the Mid Day Meal Scheme helps erode the barriers that prevent girls from going to school. Mid Day Meal Scheme also provide a useful source of employment for women, and helps liberate working women from the burden of cooking at home during the day. In these and other ways, women and girl children have a special stake in Mid Day Meal Scheme.

Annexure-I

Evaluation studies conducted by Independent agencies Independent evaluation studies on the Mid-Day Meal have been conducted by different agencies in various parts of the country, which find inter alia enhancement in enrollment and attendance. The studies include: (a) Cooked Mid-Day meal programme in West Bengal - A study of Birbhum district. Professor Amartya Sens Pratichi Research Team (2005). The study shows that Mid Day Meal has made positive intervention in universalisation of primary education by increasing enrollment and attendance. The increase has been more marked with respect to girls and children belonging to SC/ST categories. The study also points out that Mid Day Meal scheme has contributed to reduction in teacher absenteeism and a narrowing of social distances. Situation Analysis of Mid- Day Meal Programme in Rajasthan. University of Rajasthan and UNICEF (2005): states that the introduction of menu based mid day meal has positively impacted enrollment and attendance of children. It has contributed to social equity, as children sit together and share a common meal irrespective of caste and class. It has further contributed to gender equity in that it has provided employment to women. Mid day Meal in Madhya Pradesh: Samaj Pragati Sahyog, 2005: Undertook a survey in 70 most backward villages. The findings show that there was a 15% increase in enrollment, which was more marked in the case of SC and ST children (43%) Mid Day Meals: A Comparison of the Financial and Institutional Organization of the Programme in Two States, Farzana Afridi; April EPW (2005): The implementation of the programme is improving, but a lot more needs to be done. The new initiative of Suruchi Bhojan is more attractive than the earlier Daliya programme. Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Delhi A functioning programme Anuradha De, Claire Noronha and Meera Samson ; CORD; (2005). Surveyed 12 MCD schools school children in all schools were receiving food; impact of attendance more likely on girls, who often come to school without breakfast. Report on Akshara Dasoha scheme of Karnataka", Dr. Rama Naik; University of Dharwad (2005). Has reported sharp rise in enrollment, particularly in rural areas. The programme has had an impact on teacher absenteeism: 64% schools stated that teacher absenteeism has been reduced.

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

National Council of Educational Research & Trainings latest Report (2005) Learning Achievement of Students at the End of Class-V has inferred that children covered under mid day meal have higher achievement level than those who were not covered under it.

(h)

Mid Day Meal Scheme in Karnataka A study by National Institute of Public Cooperation & Child Development, Annual Report 2005-06:- Mid Day Meal improved the school attendance in majority of the schools and reduced absenteeism. It has fostered a sense of sharing and fraternity and paved the way for social equity. Mid Day Meal Scheme in Madhya Pradesh A study - 2007 by National Institute of Public Cooperation & Child Development, Indore:- School enrollment indicated marked improvement in enrollment pattern of children in primary school. Mid Day Meal Scheme undoubtedly resulted in increased school attendance and facilitated in retention of children in school for a longer period. The Scheme has played a crucial role in reducing drop out, especially among girls. Parents viewed that the mid day meal had reduced the burden of providing one time meal to their children and considered it as a great support to their families. Teachers opined that mid day meal aided in active learning of children, which indirectly improved their academic performance. The Scheme has played a significant role in bringing social equity.

(i)