Mid-day Meal Scheme

Nutritious food is necessary for the growth and development of the children. In some areas the availability of food is not appropriate due to poverty and lack of resources. Keeping in mind the same the government started the mid-day meal scheme. In this concept, the young learners will understand about National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education.

After reading the concept, students will be able to:

• Answer what is mid-day meal programme.
• State the objectives of mid-day meal scheme.
• Remember the food nutrition chart and norms for the meal scheme.
• Describe AGMARK is related to which things.
• Determine how the financial support is arranged for meal scheme.
• Discuss how unhygienic food is not good for our body.

Each concept is explained to class 4 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept Mid-Day Meal Scheme provided in PDF format.

What is the Mid-day Meal Scheme?

 

Objectives of Mid-day Meal Scheme:

• To encourage children to attend school.
• To boost students’ enrollment at schools.
• To promote the overall growth of children.
• Motivating children to resume their education who stopped going to school midway.
• To provide hot meals with proper nutritional value.

 

Food Nutrition Chart of Mid-Day Meal Scheme:

• The meal should be prepared in a hygienic place and served at school only.
• If vegetables and food grains are not available at school, then the government should pay money to the school for the next fifteen months.
• Only ‘AGMARK’ quality products are used while preparing food for the students.
• Before the food is served., it should be tasted and eaten by at least three to four adult school members.
• Varieties of regional food items should be prepared, and proper amounts of carbohydrate and protein-rich foods should be given to the students.
• As per nutritional value, children of the primary section are provided with 450 calories with 12 grams of protein; in upper primary schools, students are given 700 calories with 20 grams of protein.

 

Mid-Day Meal Menus:

• A typical Mid-day Meal menu served in the schools of Punjab is given below—

• A typical Mid-day Meal menu of schools in Uttar Pradesh is shown below—

 

Financial Support for Mid-day Meal Scheme:

• The Center gives states free grains
• The cost of payments of cooks, transportation of food grains, cost of cooking, and infrastructure development are shared between the state and the central government.

Problems With the Mid-day Meal Scheme:

• Cooks do not get an adequate salary.
• Poor quality grains are provided; they are stored in unhygienic conditions and eventually get damaged by pests.
• In many cases, the cooked food gets wasted.
• Due to corruption, schools do not receive sufficient food grains and raw materials to prepare food.

New Words:

Did You Know?

• Many software companies and NGOs like Infosys, TCS, Bharti Airtel, Jindal, etc., contribute to the Mid-day Meal Scheme in India.
• The Food and Drugs Administration Department of the State may collect food samples randomly to check the nutritional value and quality of the meals served in the Mid-day Meal Scheme.