Gujarat was the second state in the country to have started Mid Day Meal scheme in 1984. It involves provision of hot cooked meal free of cost to school-children on all working days. It aims at increasing enrollment rate, reducing dropout rate and reducing burden of poverty on poor parents and caste discrimination in the society.
The three major goals for MDM are as under:
a) Child nutrition,
b) Educational advancement and
c) Social equity.
In addition, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme is viewed as an opportunity to inculcate hygiene and sanitation practices among children.
National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15 Aug, 1995 with intent to increase enrollment, retention and attendance of school going children. This was launched initially in 2408 blocks in the country, by the year 1997-98 the NP-NSPE was introduced in all blocks of the country. Today, the NP-NSPE is the world’s largest school meal programme covering around 12 Crore children in over 9.50 Lacs schools across India. The programme involves contribution from Central and State Government.
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