Open Access Research Article
A CRITICAL STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF MIDDAY MEAL SCHEME IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS OF CHENNAI DISTRICT, TAMILNADU.BY : M. HARIHARA PRIYA
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Article Details
A CRITICAL STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVE
IMPLEMENTATION OF MIDDAY MEAL SCHEME IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS OF
CHENNAI DISTRICT, TAMILNADU.
ABSTRACT
Midday meal scheme was introduced on 1.7.1982 by
former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran to provide nutritious meal programme.
This scheme was enacted on the basis of Article 21, 39(a) and 47 of Indian
constitution. The Supreme Court asked all the state to adopt this very good
scheme. The study attempt to find the effective implementation of MDMS in Chennai
district with a sample size of 33 which was collected through convenient
sampling method. The researcher has found that the scheme has been implemented at
a good rate and works effectively. But there is a need improve the quality of
food and the shelter homes allocated for preparing those nutritious meals.
Key words: Midday
meal scheme, students, government schools, Implementation and
Nutritious food.
INTRODUCTION
The
Midday Meal Scheme (MDMS) is a school meal programme launched by the Indian
government in 1995, which aims to improve the nutritional status of
school-going children in the country. Tamil Nadu was one of the first states to
introduce a school meal programme, called the Nutritious Meal Scheme, in 1984.
This scheme was later renamed as the Midday Meal Scheme, and was subsequently
implemented on a national level in 1995. The
study on the effective implementation of Midday Meal Scheme in Tamil Nadu is
significant for several reasons. The Midday Meal Scheme is a crucial program
that aims to improve the nutritional status of children in
classes I-X in Government, Local Body and Government aided schools, and EGS and
AIE centres, Encouraging children, belonging to disadvantaged sections, to
attend school more regularly and help them concentrate on classroom activities
and Providing nutritional support to children of primary stage in drought
affected areas during summer vacation[2].
While focusing on improving nutritional level and attendance, this scheme also
aims to address two Sustainable Development Goals: Zero Hunger and Quality
Education. Tamil Nadu is one of the largest
beneficiaries of the program, and an analysis of the scheme's effectiveness
will provide insights into the impact it has on child nutrition. Implementing a program of this scale is not
without challenges. By analyzing the implementation of the scheme in Tamil
Nadu, the study identifies any challenges and bottlenecks that need to be
addressed to improve the effectiveness of the program. The Midday Meal Scheme is a flagship program
of the Indian government, and its implementation has significant policy
implications. An analysis of the scheme's implementation in Tamil Nadu provides
insights into the policy implications of the program. Evaluating government programs is essential
to ensure that they achieve their intended objectives and that public funds are
utilized effectively. The study on the effective implementation of the Midday
Meal Scheme in Tamil Nadu provides insights into the evaluation of government
programs. The Midday Meal
Scheme is an evolving program, and analyzing its implementation in Tamil Nadu
can provide insights into the future direction of the program. The study can
identify areas that need improvement and suggest ways to make the program more
effective. The study on the effective implementation of Midday Meal Scheme in
Tamil Nadu is significant as it can provide insights into child nutrition,
identify challenges and bottlenecks, have policy implications, evaluate
government programs, and suggest future directions for the program[3].
Midday meal scheme was introduced by former chief
minister MGR the nutritious meal programme was started on 1.7.1982. The motive
of the government was “education on nutrition”. They wanted to serve free hot
cooked nutritious meal. Children enrolled in national child labour project
special school in 16 districts will get 312 days variety meals by this scheme.
The government has initiated this scheme to bring 100% child education all over
Tamil Nadu. They also wanted to provide accurate calories of nutrition for all
the students. Indian constitution provides for Article-21 which deals with the
right to food impliedly and Article-39(a) provides for right to adequate means
of livelihood for both men and women equally and Article-47 imposes duty on
state to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve
public health. There are various factors affecting this study like, political
factors, social factors and economic factors; there may be corruption and lack
of implementation of this scheme. Current trends related to the topic are the
scheme was extended to urban areas as well on 15.9.1982 and also to children
belonging to age group (10-15years) on 15.9.1984. And recently the midday meals
was increased for 5days a week and for 210day in a year totally for 16
districts. In USA there is an Act called hunger free kids act, 2010 enacted by
former president Barack Obama for funding and set policy for USDS’s core child
nutrition programs. They also have national school lunch program, the school breakfast
program, the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infant and
children, the summer food service program and the child and adult care food
program[4].
OBJECTIVES
- To analyse the quantity and quality of food.
- To find the number of students dependent on midday meal scheme.
- To find the prevalence of corruption in midday meal provided to
students.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Midday meal scheme was launched by the government
of India (Abhijeet Singh, 2014) with an aim to boost universalisation of
primary education and increase the enrolment of children. Poor and downtrodden
section of society. The midday meal scheme promotes friendship, feeling of
brotherhood (Farzana Afridi, 2010) among children belonging to different caste,
colour and creed. Until 2001, providing dry ration in most states but this
scheme has made cooked meals for all primary school children. Midday meal
scheme is s very successful scheme though it has so many problems in
implementation. The major drawback is (Ingo Outes, 2013) spending teaching
time, insufficient basic infrastructure, parents, panchayat, local
authority-Negligibly. Midday meal scheme hampered difference between Dalits and
other caste (Rajshri Jayaraman, 2015)
86th amendment of Indian constitution provides for
free and compulsory education. (Farzana Afridi, 2011). Millennium development
goals on 8th sep, 2000. Sarva Shiksha Abhigyan (SSA), National literacy mission
and operation black board was started in 2015 (Monica Jain, 2015).
MDMS-National programme of nutritional support.
15th Aug, 1995- primary education was universalised (Avinash Kishore, 2015).
MDMS promotes equality in all the aspects- gender, caste, class, race, etc
(Reetika Khera, 2006). MDMS aims to overcome to problems of classroom hunger
(Benjamin, 2013). In a very short period MDMS has become a part of daily school
routine. 10.44 Crore of 12.12 lakh school are benefited says a government
report (Patricia Allen, 1999). Government report has revealed that there are
8.77 lakh kitchen cum stores. 24 lakh cooked cum helpers mainly from SC/ST and
OBC are appointed in this job (Janet M Currie, 2008). Until 2001, most states
failed to put required arrangements in place instead provided monthly dry
rations on attendance in school (Karen Weber, 2017). Tamil Nadu launched cooked
MDMS in 1950 expanded it in 1982 and Gujarat adopted it in 1980s and next was
Kerala, MP and Orissa in 1995 (Lucie Schmidt, 2016). First MDMS was limited to
providing rations in most state and it changed after Nov. 28, 2001 (Juliana FW
Cohen, 2016). Supreme Court held right to food and directed states to implement
MDMS (Michael Kramer, 2005). Prepared meals minimum contents of 300 calories of
energy and 8 to 12 grams of protein on every school day (200 days minimum)
(Michele Belot, 2011). MDMS is helpful for many poor children (GA Rees, 2008).
Report states that, teachers first taste the food and after verification
children eat them (Ramona Robinson, 2010). Many children reported the quality
of food and they feet that the quality has to be improved (Carmen Perez, 2001).
METHODOLOGY
This is an empirical research and the
sampling method used by the researcher is convenient sampling method and 33
samples has been collected from students and teachers of government schools in
Chennai district. The independent variables are age, gender, parent’s income.
The dependent variables are student’s dependency on midday meals, the ratings
for the food and its quality and quantity, opinion of students about corruption
in the midday meal scheme. The research tool used is pie chart and graphical representation.
DATA ANALYSIS
Fig1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
Fig 7
Fig 8
Fig 9
Fig 11
Fig 12
Fig 13
Fig 14
RESULTS
The above
given figures are the pie chart representation of the data collected from the
students and teachers of government schools in Chennai district. The fig 5
draws the major reason for the students to opt government school for education.
The 57.6% of the population feels that poverty, free education and nearest
proximity of the school are the reasons for them to study in government school.
From fig 6, it can be inferred that 42.4% of students rarely bring lunch from
their houses. 63.6% are dependent on midday meals provided in schools everyday (fig7).
Among the total sample population about 36.4% of respondents often take both
home cooked food and food provided in schools. Further, when asked to rate the
infrastructure of preparation and distribution of noon meals (fig9), the
ratings fall between 6 to 8. 45.5% of the respondents have rated 7. This infers
that the preparation and distribution of noon meals is above average. The fig
10 shows the rating of quality and quantity of the midday meals which is also
above average. The majority of the sample population said that they have never
fallen sick, however, 33.3% had fallen sick because of the food (fig11). It is shown that there used to be inspection
on food every month (fig12). Fig 13 shows that the staffs indulge in corruption
by taking home the raw materials stocked up under the scheme. 81.8% of the
sample population feels that training to staffs working in preparation and
distribution of the midday meals should be improved.
LIMITATION
The study limits to the government schools in
Retteri, Madhavaram, Redhills alone.
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
The midday meal scheme is found to be one extra
ordinary steps towards achieving its objectives such as increasing the
nutritional status of the children, eradicate class room hunger, increase
enrolment, retention and maintaining attendance, etc. The effective
implementation of this scheme is tested to find the efficiency of the scheme
and its impact on the society. The pandemic has left a huge impact on the
economy of the country. Despite there can be no compromise in the working of
schemes like this. The above research has inferred that the scheme has been
effectively implemented but there is a hourly need to improve the training of
staffs involved in preparation and distribution of meals. It is also required
to take stringent actions against any person involving in corruption.
[1] LLM, 2nd year, ?Tamilnadu Dr. Ambedkar University, Perungudi, e-mail:
haripriya.asha98@gmail.com
[2]
Dreze, Jean and Goyal, Aparajita (2003): Future of Mid-Day
Meals. Published in: Economic and Political Weekly , Vol. 38, No. 44
(2003): pp. 4673-4683.
9 Jithendra, V.K. (2013). Midday meal scheme: A study
on its implementation and effectiveness in government primary
schools of Kanpur district. International Journal of
Research in Humanities, Arts and Literature, 1(7), 25-31
[3]
Motkuri, V. (2009). Reaching out of noon meal scheme in India. Indian Journal
of Social Work, 70(3),437-448
[4]
Motkuri, V. (2009). Reaching out of noon meal scheme in India. Indian Journal
of Social Work, 70(3),437-448
Article Information
A CRITICAL STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF MIDDAY MEAL SCHEME IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS OF CHENNAI DISTRICT, TAMILNADU.BY : M. HARIHARA PRIYA
Authors: M. HARIHARA PRIYA
- Journal IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Published 2023/04/22
- Volume 2
- Issue 7
About Journal
International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis
- Abbreviation IJLRA
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