Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)

 

Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM), now It is known as Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), It aims to improve the nutritional status of children and promote universal elementary education by providing free cooked meals in schools.

History of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme

Early Initiatives

• The concept of providing meals in schools began in 1925 in the Madras Municipal Corporation (present-day Chennai) for disadvantaged children.
• By the 1980s, states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kerala, and Puducherry had implemented school meal programmes on a large scale.

·       With a view to enhancing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children, the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th August 1995.

·       In 2001 MDMS became a cooked Mid-Day Meal Scheme under which every child in every Government and Government aided primary school was to be served a prepared Mid-Da Meal with a minimum content of 300 calories of energy and 8-12 gram protein per day for a minimum of 200 days. The Scheme was further extended in 2002 to cover not only children studying in Government, Government aided and local body schools, but also children studying in Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) centres.

·       In September 2004 the Scheme was revised to provide for Central Assistance for Cooking cost @ Re 1 per child per school day to cover cost of pulses, vegetables cooking oil, condiments, fuel and wages and remuneration payable to personnel or amount payable to agency responsible for cooking. Transport subsidy was also raised from the earlier maximum of Rs 50 per quintal to Rs. 100 per quintal for special category states and Rs 75 per quintal for other states. Central assistance was provided for the first time for management, monitoring and evaluation of the scheme @ 2% of the cost of foodgrains, transport subsidy and cooking assistance. A provision for serving mid day meal during summer vacation in drought affected areas was also made.

·       In July 2006 the Scheme was further revised to enhance the cooking cost to Rs 1.80 per child/school day for States in the North Eastern Region and Rs 1.50 per child / school day for other States and UTs. The nutritional norm was revised to 450 Calories and 12 gram of protein. In order to facilitate construction of kitchen-cum-store and procurement of kitchen devices in schools provision for Central assistance @ Rs. 60,000 per unit and @ Rs. 5,000 per school in phased manner were made.

·       In October 2007, the Scheme was extended to cover children of upper primary classes (i.e. class VI to VIII) studying in 3,479 Educationally Backwards Blocks (EBBs) and the name of the Scheme was changed from ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education’ to ‘National Programme of Mid Day Meal in Schools’. The nutritional norm for upper primary stage was fixed at 700 Calories and 20 grams of protein. The Scheme was extended to all areas across the country from 1.4.2008.

·       The Scheme was further revised in April 2008 to extend the scheme to recognized as well as unrecognized Madarsas / Maqtabs supported under SSA

National Launch

• On 15 August 1995, the Government of India launched the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) as a centrally sponsored scheme.
• Initially, food grains were supplied to primary school children.

Major Developments

• 2001: Following a Supreme Court directive, states were required to provide cooked meals instead of dry rations, ensuring at least 300 calories and 8–12 grams of protein per child per day.
• 2002: Coverage expanded to children in Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) centres.
• 2008–09: Extended to children studying in Classes I–VIII.
• 2021: The scheme was renamed PM POSHAN, with expanded coverage including Bal Vatika (pre-primary) children.

 Objectives of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme

The scheme addresses two major concerns—hunger and education. Its key objectives are:

1.    Improve Nutritional Status

Ø Provide nutritious meals to school-going children.

Ø Reduce malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.

2.    Increase School Enrolment

Ø Encourage children, especially from economically weaker sections, to attend school.

3.    Enhance Attendance and Retention

Ø Reduce dropout rates and improve regular attendance.

4.    Improve Learning Outcomes

Ø Reduce classroom hunger and help children concentrate better on studies.

5.    Promote Social Equity

Ø Encourage children from different castes, communities, and economic backgrounds to eat together, fostering social harmony.

6.    Provide Nutritional Support During Emergencies

Ø Support children in drought-affected and disaster-affected areas.

 Implementation of the Scheme

Coverage

The PM POSHAN Scheme covers:

• Children in Bal Vatika (pre-primary)
• Students of Classes I–VIII
• Government schools
• Government-aided schools
• Special Training Centres (STCs) under Samagra Shiksha.

Meal Norms

The meals are designed to meet prescribed nutritional standards.

Component	Primary (Classes I–V)	Upper Primary (Classes VI–VIII)
Food grains	100 g	150 g
Pulses	20 g	30 g
Vegetables	50 g	75 g
Oil/Fat	5 g	7.5 g

1.    Revised Cooking cost per child per school day w.e.f. 01.05.2025 (view Letter dt.21-04-2025)
Stage	Total Cost	Central-State Sharing
		Non-NER States and UTs with Legislature(60:40)		NER-States (90:10) and 3 Himalayan States		UTs without Legislature (100%)
		Central	State	Central	State
Balvatika and Primary	Rs.6.78	Rs.4.07	Rs.2.71	Rs.6.10	Rs.0.68	Rs.6.78
Upper Primary	Rs. 10.17	Rs. 6.10	Rs. 4.07	Rs. 9.15	Rs. 1.02	Rs.10.17

Funding Pattern

• The scheme is jointly funded by the Central Government and State Governments/UTs.
• The Centre provides assistance for food grains, cooking costs, transportation, and kitchen infrastructure.

Monitoring Mechanisms

• Daily reporting through online Management Information Systems (MIS).
• School Management Committees monitor meal quality.
• Regular inspections and social audits are conducted.

Impact of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme

Positive Impact

A. Improved Nutrition

• Provides a regular nutritious meal to millions of children.
• Helps combat hunger and undernutrition among school-age children.

B. Increased Enrolment and Attendance

• Encourages children from poor households to attend school regularly.
• Contributes to higher enrolment rates, particularly among disadvantaged groups.

C. Reduced Dropout Rates

• Many states have reported better retention of students due to the meal incentive.

D. Social Inclusion

• Children from different social and economic backgrounds share meals together, reducing social barriers.

E. Employment Generation

• The scheme creates employment opportunities for cooks and helpers, many of whom are women.

Challenges

2.    Food Quality and Safety Issues : Occasional reports of contaminated or poor-quality food.

3.    Infrastructure Constraints :Lack of adequate kitchens, storage facilities, and cooking equipment in some schools.

4.    Monitoring and Implementation Gaps :Variations in implementation quality across states.

5.    Coverage and Utilization Issues :Some regions continue to face challenges in ensuring full participation and effective utilization of resources