Mid-Day Meal during COVID – UPSC GS2

The Centre has decided to give about ₹100 each to children studying in Class 1 to Class 8 in government schools, who are beneficiaries of the Mid-Day Meal scheme.

It is aimed at safeguarding the nutritional levels of children and ensuring their immunity is protected.

₹1200 crore in total would be given to 11.8 crore children through direct benefit transfer as a one-time payment.

The money comes from the cooking cost component of the scheme.

Children are being given cash in lieu of the mid-day meal in some places and dry rations in others. However, the quantities/amounts are too low to be even adequate for one nutritious meal a day.

Noting that ₹100 per child amounts to less than ₹4 a day, even if it was a monthly payment, Right to Food activists also say this is insufficient to provide the nutrition security that is envisaged.

With approximately 200 school days, each child should be getting something like ₹900-₹1300 annually [as cooking cost component].

Also, while the schools can purchase ingredients at wholesale prices, with the same amount, parents will be able to purchase much less.

In 2020, hardly any State provided free grain or transferred these cooking costs. The children must be transferred the arrears from the previous year as well.

Enhanced take-home rations, including eggs, vegetables, fruits, dal/chana, oil must be given in order to ensure nutrition security.