Mid Day Meal Scheme

“Since Indian children suffer not only from educational neglect but also
from under nourishment on a scale that makes India a world-beater in
an unenviable role, the effectiveness of mid-day meals can be very
large indeed, in jointly addressing several pivotal problems together.”
- Amartya Sen(2005)
 The Rationale
 Promoting school participation
 Not just enrolment, but also regular attendance

 Preventing classroom hunger

 Addressing the problem of children’s inability to concentrate

 Facilitating healthy growth of children

 Regular source of supplementary, not ‘substitute’ nutrition

 Intrinsic educational value

 Education on importance of clean water, sanitation, environment,

 Fostering social and gender equality

 Eating together; spreading egalitarian values; Eroding barriers that prevent girls from
attending school

 Psychological benefits
 Physiological deprivation leads to low self-esteem, insecurity, stress; MDM can facilitate
emotional, cognitive, social development
 Objectives
(i) Improving the nutritional status of children in classes
I – VIII in Government, Local Body and Government
aided schools, and EGS and AIE centres.
(ii) Encouraging poor children, belonging to
disadvantaged sections, to attend school more
regularly and help them concentrate on classroom
activities.
(iii) Providing nutritional support to children of
primary stage in drought-affected areas during
summer vacation.
 Target Group
No. of Beneficiary students (in crores)

2008-09
Stage 2007-08 State’s Approved by
proposal GoI
Primary 9.70 9.54 8.24
Upper Primary 1.68 3.78 3.50
Total 11.38 13.32 11.74
 Nutritional norms under MDMS


Component Primary Upper Primary

Calories 450 700

Protein 12 gms. 20 gms.

Micro nutrients Adequate quantities of micro
nutrients like Iron, Folic acid
and Vitamin-A
 Nutritional Component
(Primary)
.
Food items Quantity Calories Protein
Rice/Wheat 100 gms 340 8

Pulses 20 gms 70 5

Vegetables 50 gms 25 0

Oil 5 gms 45 0

Total 480 13
 Nutritional Component
(Upper Primary)

. Food items Quantity Calories Protein

Rice/Wheat 150 gms 517 14

Pulses 25 gms 88 5.5

Vegetables 65 gms 32 0

Oil 10 gms 90 0

Total 727 19.5

 Convergence with NRHM
 MDM Scheme seeks convergence through..
 Regular health check up
 Supplementation of micro-nutrients and de-worming medicines.

 MDM Guidelines stresses

 6 monthly dose for de-worming & Vit-A
 Weekly administration of Iron, Folic Acid and Zinc
 Use of iodized/double fortified salt for cooking.
 Technical advise and close co-ordination with nearest PHC
 GoI’s direction to State Education Dept.

 Relevant School Health activities should get included in District Health

Action Plans. Medical check up facilities should be provided at school
itself.

 Draw up and maintain a roster of school visits by Health officials for

periodic health check ups of school children with wide publicity
particularly to parents.

 Availability/referral slips and regular updation of child’s health profile

therein.

 Provision of essential micro-nutrients and deworming medicines to

children by health officials during periodic check ups.
 GoI’s direction to State Education Dept.
(contd ..,)
 Training of teachers on issues relating to preventive and
promotive health care. Technical inputs to be drawn from
State Health Departments.

 There is a need for activity based modules in the textbook

curriculum of school children regarding the health issues like
nutrition, hygiene maintenance and disposal of waste.

 There is a need for training of teachers on health issues at

induction level and in service on various health issues. Health
Min can provide the technical inputs.
 GoI’s direction to State Education Dept.
(contd ..,)
 Make available weighing machine/height
recorder in each primary school using funds
under MME. Height/weight to be recorded in
health cards during health check ups.

 School Health Programme activities/fund

requirement to be incorporated in district
health plans under NRHM.
Thank You