Subject: Social Justice

The Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme, initiated in the Madras Presidency in 1925 by the British administration, has evolved from a regional initiative to India's largest school meal program, now known as PM POSHAN, serving as a cornerstone of nutritional security and educational empowerment.

Twin Objectives

Primary Objectives:

• Nutritional Enhancement: Addressing malnutrition and hunger among school-going children through provision of hot-cooked meals meeting prescribed nutritional standards.
• Educational Advancement: Improving enrollment, attendance, and retention rates in schools by incentivizing regular attendance through meal provision.

Latest Mandates

Current Framework:

• PM POSHAN Scheme: Launched in 2021 with a total outlay of ₹1,30,794.90 crore for 2021-26, incorporating new elements beyond traditional MDM.
• Coverage Extension: Encompassing pre-primary students in government and government-aided schools under NEP 2020.
• Nutritional Standards: Mandatory provision of minimum 450 calories and 12g protein for primary students and 700 calories and 20g protein for upper primary students.

Success Analysis

Achievements:

• Enrollment Impact: Serving 77,919,46 students (approximately 69% of enrolled) in 2024-25, demonstrating significant reach.
• Nutritional Outcomes: Studies in Odisha show protein and iron meeting over 50% of RDAs, contributing to improved nutrition.
• Gender Parity: Enhanced girl child enrollment and retention in schools, promoting educational equity.

Challenges:

• Quality Concerns: Studies in Delhi indicate below-recommended energy and protein content in meals.
• Coverage Gaps: Projected decrease of 10 lakh students in coverage for 2025-26 compared to 2023-24.
• Implementation Issues: Varying nutritional content across states, with some nutrients like calcium and zinc falling below 30% of RDAs.

The transformation of MDM into PM POSHAN represents a significant evolution in India's approach to school feeding programs. While challenges persist, its success in addressing twin objectives of nutrition and education makes it a crucial instrument for achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 4 (Quality Education), requiring continued focus on quality enhancement and coverage expansion.