The Mid-Day Meal Scheme (officially renamed as PM POSHAN or Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) is a flagship program in India that provides free, hot-cooked meals to children in government and government-aided schools to improve their nutritional status, school attendance, and learning capacity.
Key Program Features
- Target Audience: Covers children in primary and upper primary classes (Classes I-VIII), as well as pre-primary students (Bal Vatikas) in government and government-aided schools, anganwadis, madrasas, and maqtabs.
- Nutritional Standards: Meals are mandated to provide a significant portion of a child’s daily dietary needs.
- Primary stage (Classes I-V): Minimum of 300 calories and 8-12 grams of protein.
- Upper Primary stage (Classes VI-VIII): Minimum of 700 calories and 20 grams of protein.
Objectives
- Combats Classroom Hunger: Ensures that children can concentrate on their studies rather than worrying about their next meal.
- Improves Attendance: Acts as an incentive for economically disadvantaged parents to send their children to school instead of engaging them in labor.
- Promotes Social Equality: Children from all castes and socioeconomic backgrounds share meals together, which helps to break down social barriers in communities.