Status of Mid-Day Meal Scheme in India

Abstract

Inclusive development is new Mantra of development in a democratic and developing country like India. The Mid Day Meal Scheme is the only panacea for improving the poor performance in respect of health standards and academic achievements of the students belonging to lower strata of the society in the country. The Midday Meal Scheme was unable to mitigate the centuries-old problem of malnutrition because it is limited to school days, class I^st to VIII^th and not implemented in effective way The government of India needs to bring reforms in MDMP, which is about three decades old scheme for making it more inclusive, administratively efficient and focused. These reforms may include rebranding of MDMP, the inclusion of nurssery students who are already beneficiaries of free eatables, emphasis on social audit, Tithi Bhojan, kitchen garden, etc. Providing one-time lunch during school working days will not solve the problem. Government should understand the urgency of the elimination of malnutrition and its long-term benefits. It is highly recommended even by the National Policy of Education to start the breakfast under this scheme for the future generation of India. The MDMP should be extended up to the senior secondary level as their body needs more nutritious meals for growth and development. In the nutshell, it can be stated that there is urgent need of reforms. The government should open its treasury for the future generation because there is no better investment than investing in the future generation of India.