Government of Tamil Nadu

Puratchi Thalaivar
Nutritious Meal Programme
 National Programme on Mid Day Meal Scheme
Tamil Nadu’s Nutritious Meal Programme is among the best known in the
Country. One of the pioneer of the scheme is the Madras Presidency that
started providing cooked meal to children in Corporation Schools in the
Madras city in 1923. The programme was introduced in a large scale in 1960s
under the Chief Ministership of K. Kamaraj. However the first major thrust
came in 1982

when the then legendry Chief

Minister of Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.
Ramachandran decided to
universalize the scheme for all
children in Government Schools in
Primary classes. Later the
programme was expanded to cover
all children upto class 10th.
 National Programme on Mid Day
Meal Scheme

01.07.1982 - PTMGR Nutritious Meal Programme was launched in

Primary Schools for classes I - V and to Pre-School
Children of 2-5 years in Rural areas.
15.09.1982 – Further extended to Urban areas.
15.09.1984 - Extended to the Children of VI – X std.
15.08.1995 - The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Programme
of Nutritional Support to Primary Education is
implemented along with PT MGR Nutritious Meal
Programme in Tamil Nadu.

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 The key objectives of the programme

• Protecting children from classroom hunger.

• Increasing school enrolment and attendance thereby reducing
dropouts.
• Improving socialization among children belonging to all castes.
• Addressing the issue of malnutrition among children.
• Develops the Physique and also grasping power of children
• Social empowerment of women by creating employment.

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 Coverage of the Scheme
• Children from 1st std to 10th std
studying in Government schools,
Local Body schools, Government
aided schools, Education
Guarantee Scheme and Alternative
& Innovative Education Centre and
National Child Labour Programme
are covered under the programme.

• For the current year 53,52,111

children have been enrolled under
this scheme for which 42,490
centres are functioning across the
State of Tamil Nadu.

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 Coverage
(2013 - 14)
Coverage of Children
Category No. of No. of
Centres Children
Primary Classes I – V 27108
26,63,943

Upper Primary Classes 20,43,301

VI – VIII 15043
IX & X 6,33,193
NCLP 339 11,674

Total 42490 53,52,111

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 Salient Features of the Scheme
The children enrolled under the
scheme are provided with hot cooked
rice, sambar and boiled egg within the
school campus itself on all working
days.
 Boiled black Bengal gram or green
gram is given on all Tuesdays taking
into consideration the present day
protein, vitamins and calorific needs of
the children.
On all Fridays boiled potatoes are given
to supplement carbohydrates.

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Eggs are given five days in a
week. Bananas are provided
for non egg eating children

 Double Fortified Salt is used

for cooking in order to prevent
the children from Iodine
deficiency thereby eradicating
goiter.

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 Present Menu 2013-14

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

White Rice, White Rice, White Rice, White White Rice,

Vegetable Vegetable Vegetable Rice, Vegetable
Sambar Sambar Sambar Vegetable Sambar,
& & & Sambar Boiled Egg
Boiled Egg Boiled Egg, Boiled Egg & &
Boiled Black / Boiled Boiled Potato
Green Gram Egg

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 Introduction of Variety Meals

• As the noon meal provided to the

children in the form of hot cooked
rice with sambar has become
monotonous and in order to attract
children variety meals and masala
eggs has been introduced by
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil
Nadu to benefit the children.

• The scheme has been launched

from March 20th onwards in one
pilot block of each District.

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 Variety Meal contd.,

• The variety meals has been introduced in pilot

blocks in each district.
• The variety meals will be gradually introduced in
the rest of the blocks based on the feed back
received from the pilot blocks.
• It was noticed that after the introduction of
variety meals there was a gradual increase in the
enrolment of children under Noon Meal
Programme which in turn will increase the school
enrolment and reduce dropouts.
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 Variety Menu

1st and 3rd week Menu

Monday Vegetable Briyani + Pepper Egg

Tuesday Black Bengal gram pulav + Tomato Masala Egg

Wednesday Tomato Rice + Pepper Egg

Thursday Rice + Sambar+Boiled Egg

Friday Curry Leaf Rice (or) Keerai Sadham + Masala Egg &
Chilly Fried Potato

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 Variety Menu

2nd & 4th week Menu

Monday Bisibelabath + Onion Tomato Masala Egg

Tuesday Mixed Meal Maker & Vegetables Rice + Pepper Egg

Wednesday Tamarind Rice + Tomato Masala Egg

Thursday Lemon Rice + Sundal + Tomato Egg

Friday Rice + Sambar + Boiled Egg and Fried Potato

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Meal Maker Vegetable Rice

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Bisibelabath

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Black Bengal Gram Pulav

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Tomato Onion Egg Masala

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 MENU

• Menus include locally and acceptable vegetables. At

present the Government of Tamil Nadu had instructed the
officials concerned to popularize the “ Akshaya pathiram”
scheme wherein the children bring and put in vegetables
contributed by their mothers for cooking meals, in order
to encourage community participation.

• Menu also includes all the prescribed ingredients in

prescribed amounts so that children can get appropriate
calories and proteins as per norms.

• Menu boards are displayed on the wall of kitchen / School

Wall / conspicuous places.
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 Capacity building and Training to Noon Meal
Employees
• To improve the skill and efficiency of the Noon Meal Employees
training programmes are organized at regular intervals to orient the
employees on Nutrition, Health, Personal Hygiene like regular cutting
of nails, washing hands and feet with soap before commencement of
cooking / serving and on food preparation.
• to clean the cooking and serving utensils properly and training
towards environmental protection in the disposal of wastage.

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 Introduction of Millets to Noon Meal Beneficiaries

• As a Pilot project in order to increase the Nutritional level of children ,

Millets in the form of Ladoos / Halwa / Pakoda is about to be

introduced under Noon Meal Programme in the Districts of Ariyalur

and Perambalur.

• A sum of Rs. 5.00 crores has been allotted by the State Government

for the implementation of scheme.

• The scheme will be implemented with the help of the weaning food

societies functioning under ICDS.

• After the feedback report from the above said Districts, the scheme

may be extended to other districts gradually.

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 Nutritional Value Provided to the children

• As per the guidelines of Government of India the nutritional

norms for Primary school children is 450 kilo calories and 12
gms protein per child per day and for Upper Primary children is
700 kilo calories and 20 gm protein per child per day.

• Whereas the State Government with additional supplementary

nutritional food is providing 553.30 kilo calories and 18.12 gms
protein for Primary school children and 733.86 kilo calories and
21.64 gm protein to Upper Primary school children.

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 Norms for food commodities
per student
Sl.No. Commodities Primary Rate Upper Rate
Primary
1. Rice 100 gms. 0.56 paise 150 gms 0.84 paise

2. Dhall 15 gm 0.93 paise 15 gm 0.93 paise

3. Oil 3 gm 0.13 paise 3 gm 0.13 Paise

4. Salt & 1.9 gm 0.14 paise 2.3 gm 0.17 paise

condiments
5. Vegetables 50 gm 0.32 paise 60 gm 0.36 paise

6. Fuel 0.24 paise 0.27 paise

7. Egg 1 No. 3.00 Rupees 1 No. 3.00 Rupees

8. Banana 1 No. 1.25 Rupees 1 No. 1.25 Rupees

9. Green Gram / 20 gm 0.59 paise / 20 gm 0.59 paise /

Bengal Gram (Tuesday) 1.15 Rupees (Tuesday) 1.15 Rupees
10. Potato 20 gm 0.16 paise 20 gm 0.16 paise
(Friday) (Friday)
5.63 5.73
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 Cost sharing (Cooking cost) between
Centre and State 2013-14

Class MDM Centre State Actual State Total

Norms 75% 25% contribution
(75:25)
Primary 3.11 2.33 0.78 3.30 5.63
(1-5 Std)

Upper 4.65 3.49 1.16 2.24 5.73

Primary
(6-8 Std)
Entire expenditure for students of 9th & 10th standard is met by
State Government.

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 Kitchen-cum-Stores
Based on the students strength
kitchen-cum-store is being
constructed with a plinth area of
20 sq.mt ( Rs.2.40 lakhs)
24 sq.mt (Rs. 2.50 lakhs)
28 q.mt (Rs. 2.65 lakhs)
32 sq.mt (3.00 lakhs)
36 sq.mt ( Rs. 3.35 lakhs)
40 sq.mt (Rs. 3.80 lakhs)

The funds are shared between

Government of India and State
Government in the ratio 75:25.

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 Modernisation of Kitchen
• In order to create ‘smoke free atmosphere’ in the Noon Meal Centre, to
save cooking time, and to avoid pollution, Noon Meal Centres are
provided with Gas connection, Gas stove, Construction of cooking
platform etc.,
• Each centre is provided with Rs. 22,000/- by State Government for Civil
works, stove and LPG connection.
• So far 5384 Noon Meal Centres have been provided with Gas
connection.

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 Fund flow mechanism

Government of India & Government of Tamil Nadu

Director of Social Welfare

District Collector

Block Development
Officer

Noon Meal
Centres

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 MONITORING MECHANISM
Mandatory Visits every month by District level Officers to Nutritious Meal
Centres
As per G.O. (MS) No. 151SW & NMP Dept., dt. 13.08.2004,
G.O. (MS) No. 153 SW & NMP (nmp-2) Dept., dt. 04.07.2005 & D.O.
Letter No. 12926 / NMP – 2 /2011-1, dt. 29.10.2011, the following
Officials have been allotted targets for NMP centres Inspection.
(Per Month)

District Collector 10 Centres

PA to Collector (NMP), 20 Centres

Chennai Corporation Commissioner 10 Centres
Commissioner of Municipalities 20 Centres
District Project Officer, ICDS 30 Centres
Block Development Officer 40 Centres
Assistant Educational Officer, Chennai Corporation 10 Centres
Other Corporation Commissioners 10 Centres
Child Development Project Officer 60 Centres 27
 Monitoring Mechanism
• District level Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee have been
constituted in most of the Districts to monitor the scheme.
• Hon’ble Minister for Social Welfare & NMP Department & Director
of Social Welfare makes surprise visit to Noon Meal Centres.

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 Monitoring Mechanism

Secretary to Government, Social

Welfare & NMP Department
interacting with school children at
Nagapattinam during a field visit.

District Collectors / PA (NMP)s /

BDOs visits the centres very often
and get the feed back from children
about the implementation of the
scheme.

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Review of performance of PA (NMP) on all indicators in
monthly meeting at the State Level.

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 BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN THE STATE

 Supply of Double Fortified Salt:-

In order to control and prevent Iron deficiency / Anaemia which is the
common nutritional disorder widely prevalent among children of 2 to 15
years of age, Iodized salt was used in the preparation of meals instead of
common salt under this programme. At present, Iron and Iodine enriched
salt (Double Fortified Salt) is used in the Nutritious Meals in all districts.
 Supply of Five Boiled Eggs per week:-
Five eggs per week are provided to students availing MDM. Eggs are
procured by the District Collectors in all Districts and by the
Commissioner of ICDS for Chennai District by following the procedures
laid down in the Tender Transparency Act and Rules. Each eggs should
weigh minimum 46 gms. Eggs are supplied directly to the centres in
Chennai & to the BDOs office in Districts from where it is taken by the
Organisers as per their requirements .08 paise is paid for each egg as
transportation cost to the Organisers.
99% of Children eat eggs during the Mid Day Meals.
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Boiled Eggs Peeled & getting ready to be
served to the Children

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 BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN THE STATE

 Supply of Banana in place of Egg:-

Non egg eating children are provided one banana each day. Rs.1.25
is provided for each banana.

 Supply of Black Bengal Gram / Green Gram & Potato:-

Students are provided with 20 gms. bengal gram or green gram on
every Tuesday along with Mid Day Meals. Potato is provided to students
on every Friday along with the Mid Day Meals.

 Provision of Uniforms to Nutritious Meal Beneficiaries:-

4 sets of Uniforms are being supplied free of cost for the
beneficiaries enrolled under Noon Meal Programme. The State
Government has sanctioned Rs.347 crore for the year 2013-14 for the
implementation of the programme.

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 BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN THE STATE

School Health Programme:-

Health Check up Camps are conducted in schools regularly and

Micro-nutrients and deworming medicines are supplied to the children.
Students are treated for minor ailments and referred to taluk and other
Government hospitals for further treatment if necessary. Eye camps are
also conducted and spectacles are provided to students with defective
vision.

In addition the children are also provided with Albendozole 400 mg, Tab
FST + Folic acid, Gentamycine Eye drops, Cetrimide Cream and Anti
emetic Domperiodone – Metoclopromide etc.

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 BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN THE STATE

Modernization of Kitchen with Gas connection:-

The State Government provides Rs.22000/- for civil works, stoves &
LPG connection to each centre. Modernization of Kitchen is done in a
phased manner.
 Time Scale of Pay to Noon Meal employees:-
In each Noon Meal Centres an Organiser, one cook and one cook
assistant are employeed for the implementation of the scheme. In Tamil
Nadu there are 128130 Noon Meal Employees employed for the
implementation of the Scheme. NGOs are not entrusted with this work.
The employees are provided salary in the Special Time Scale of Pay, which
is a great motivating factor for effective implementation of the programme.
Noon Meal Organiser : Rs.2500-5000 Grade pay Rs. 500 (Rs. 5940)
Cook : Rs. 1300-3000 Grade pay Rs. 300 (Rs. 3532)
Cook Assistant : Rs. 950-2000 Grade pay Rs. 200 (Rs. 2758)

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 BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN THE STATE

 Introduction of Special Pension:-

Rs.700/- p.m. to Noon Meal Organiser, Rs.600/- p.m. to Cook &
Rs.500/- p.m. to Cook Assistant is provided as special pension as
retirement benefit.
 Provision of Lumpsum payment:-
Noon Meal Organiser is paid Rs.50,000/- & Cook & Cook Assistant is
paid Rs. 20,000/- as lumpsum amount at the time of retirement.
 Provision of Special Provident Fund:-
Rs.10,000/- is provided as special provident fund to the Noon Meal
employees at the time retirement.

 Promotional Opportunities to Staff, like Office Assistant:-

Special test is conducted by Teachers Recruitment Board for qualified
NMOs & they are appointed as teachers in Schools
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 BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN THE STATE

• General Provident Fund Scheme:-

All categories of NMC staff are enrolled in PF Scheme.
Allotment of account numbers by the Government Data centre is in
progress.
 Appointment on Compassionate Grounds:-
The legal heir of the Noon Meal employee who dies while in
service is provided employment on compassionate grounds.
• Provision of Mixies to the Noon Meal Centres :-
In order to facilitate the cooking process all the Noon Meal
Centres are about to be provided with mixies for which the State
Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs. 5.43 crores. Tamil Nadu
Civil Supplies Corporation has been entrusted with the work of
supply of mixies to Noon Meal Centres.
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 Impact of the Scheme
• It is an incontrovertible fact that nutritious meal programmes has
exerted a positive influence on enrolment and attendance in schools.
• Further the scheme has helped the children from disadvantaged
backgrounds to attend school regularly and helps them in attaining
formal education and also participate in extracurricular activities.
• Apart from enhancing school attendance and nutrition, the programme
has paved way for the erosion of caste prejudices and class in
equality.
• The programme has mainly reduced the Gender Gap in education and
thus enhanced female school attendance.
• The scheme has empowered women by offering employment
opportunities.
• Scheme has reduced caste prejudices, children from the higher and
lower caste started having their lunch together
• Maintained equality among the children of various religions.

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