Role and Impact of Mid–Day Meal Programme in Elementary Education: A Study of Two Districts in Bihar

Dr. R. C. Tyagi; Tarannum Siddiqui

Volume : V, Issue : II, February - 2015

Role and Impact of Mid–Day Meal Programme in Elementary Education: A Study of Two Districts in Bihar

Dr. R. C. Tyagi, Tarannum Siddiqui

Abstract :

This paper is based on the study provided by MHRD New Delhi and conducted in Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow. Mid–day Meal is being implemented with the joint efforts of the government of India and state government of Bihar. The present Mid–day–Meal (MDM) Programme covers all the primary and upper primary schools of the state. The state government has constituted a Mid–day Meal Authority since October, 2006 for the effective implementation of the programme. Under the scheme, boys and girls are provided tasty cooked food during the interval. A total number of 38 primary and 31 upper primary schools were randomly selected for the study in Muzaffarpur and Sheikhpura districts of Bihar as decided by the Ministry. Paper is based mainly on primary data. In this paper availability of kitchen and cooks, regularity in serving mid day meal, quality and quantity of food, children availing MDM according to prescribed norm or not has been gathered. Social equity and supplementary information such as availability of safe drinking water and sanitation, environment, safety and hygiene has been checked and observed carefully. Paper concludes that MDM programme is playing positive role and having a great impact on enrolment, attendance, retrenchment and drop–out of the students in primary and upper primary schools of both the districts. The authors of this paper were involved in this project as project director and research assistant.