The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is the world's biggest
school lunch programme and is being implemented all over India for
primary and upper primary school students. However, nutrition and
hygiene are now among the main challenges it faces. Out of 876 test
reports of mid-day meal samples in Delhi from 1 January 2012 to 31 March
2013, more than 90% failed to meet the standard of 12 gms of protein
and 450 calories. A number of loopholes in the scheme need to be plugged
if nutritious food, not just something cooked, is to reach the plates
of poor students.
