The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is a popular school-meal programme in India. It involves provision of lunch free of cost to school-children on all working days. The key objectives of the programme are:

·         protecting children from classroom hunger

·         increasing school enrolment and attendance

·         improved socialization among children belonging to all castes

·         addressing malnutrition

·         social empowerment through provision of employment to women

Community has a major role to play for the promotion and better implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Community intervention can make it possible for each child of the community to have an access to mid day meal. Community can mobilize additional resources to support the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Parents who are not allowing their children to take mid day meal in schools due to caste discrimination, can be sensitized through community efforts. Community can take care of the procurement, cooking and serving of the mid day meal.

These are some of the areas where community intervention is required for the successful implementation of the Mid Day Scheme….

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Deepshikha and Fouzia