Q.The concept of Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme is almost a century old in India with early beginnings in Madras Presidency in pre-independent India. The scheme has again been given impetus in most states in the last two decades. Critically examine its twin objectives, latest mandates and success.

Body

graph TD
    A["Mid-Day Meal Scheme"] --> B["Support Universal Primary Education"]
    A --> C["Provide Employment to Local Women"]
    A --> D["Improve Nutritional Status"]
    A --> E["Increase School Enrollment"]
    A --> F["Enhance Attendance and Retention"]
    A --> G["Promote Social Equity"]

Twin Objectives of the MDM Scheme

• Improving Enrollment, Retention, and Attendance:
  • By providing free, hot-cooked meals, the scheme incentivizes parents to send children to school, thereby reducing dropout rates, particularly among girls.
  • Impact: The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in primary schools reached 102.8% in 2020-21.
• Addressing Malnutrition:
  • The program provides balanced meals to combat child malnutrition and support cognitive development.
  • Impact: States like Tamil Nadu and Kerala have reported lower malnutrition rates among school-going children due to consistent implementation.

Latest Mandates and Developments

• PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (2021): The scheme was rebranded and expanded to include pre-primary students (Balvatika) and aligned with local dietary preferences to improve meal acceptance.
• Nutritional Standards: Established strict caloric norms, requiring 450-700 kcal and 12-20 grams of protein per child per meal.
• Focus on Women's Empowerment: Involves Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and women workers in preparing meals, thereby promoting local livelihoods.
• Fortification Initiatives: Introduced fortified staples like rice and oil to address micronutrient deficiencies.
• Digital Monitoring: Implemented the Automated Monitoring System (AMS) to track real-time meal distribution and transparency.

Success of the MDM Scheme

• Improved Educational Outcomes: Enhanced attendance and reduced dropout rates, particularly among girls and marginalized communities.
  • Example: High female literacy rates in states like Bihar and Odisha have been partly attributed to the scheme.
• Better Nutrition and Health: Notable reduction in anemia and stunting among school children in states like Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh.
• Community Engagement: Increased participation of local stakeholders, including SHGs and Panchayati Raj Institutions, ensuring transparency.
• Crisis Response: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the scheme adapted by delivering dry rations directly to students to mitigate food insecurity.
• Social Equity & Inclusion: Encourages inter-caste dining, which helps break down social discrimination in rural areas.
• Positive Impact on Learning: Studies indicate that improved nutrition directly enhances concentration and academic performance.

Criticisms and Challenges

• Quality and Hygiene Issues: Substandard meal quality and unhygienic preparation have occasionally led to health hazards.
  • Example: Incidents of food poisoning in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha have raised safety concerns.
• Leakages and Corruption: Diversion of funds and resources due to weak monitoring.
  • Example: Reports of inflated beneficiary numbers and misallocation of grains in some states.
• Regional Disparities: While states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala implement the scheme effectively, others like Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh lag due to poor infrastructure.
• Nutritional Inadequacies: Budget constraints often prevent meals from meeting actual protein and caloric benchmarks.
  • Data: The allocation of ₹4.97 per child per day for primary students is often insufficient for high-quality meals.
• Overburdened Staff: Teachers are frequently tasked with supervising meal preparation, diverting their focus from teaching.
• Social Resistance: Caste-based discrimination still persists in some areas.
  • Example: Instances of upper-caste students refusing meals cooked by Dalit workers have been reported in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• Inadequate Monitoring: The CAG has flagged several implementation irregularities and weak tracking mechanisms in multiple states.