Mid-Day Meal Scheme for School Children

- The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NPNSPE), popularly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, was formally launched on August 15, 1995.
- The objective of the programme is to give a boost to universalisation of primary education by increasing emolment, attendance and retention, and also improving nutritional status of children in primary classes studying in Government, Local Body and Government-aided schools.
- From October 2002, the programme was extended to children studying in Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and other Alternative and Innovative Education (AlE) Learning Centres also.
- The programme was further extended, w.e.f. Oct. 2007, to children in the upper primary stage of education i.e., classes 6th to 8th also.
- At present the cooked midday meal provides an energy content of 450 calories and protein content of 12 grams at primary stage and an energy content of 700 calories and protein content of 20 grams at upper primary stage.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme Extended Upto Class VIII
- The government on September 13, 2007 decided to extend the Mid Day Meal Scheme also to the children in the upper primary stage i.e., from class VI to class VllI in the government and government aided schools in 3479 educationally backward blocks in the country.
- The ambitions scheme, which so far covered students till class V will now be extended to all areas across the country.
- The rationalefor extension of the scheme to the upper primary stage of education was aimed at physical and mental development of children in the 11-14 age group.