Mid Day Meal Scheme in Indian Government Schools

The Government of India launched a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th August 1995 called the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NPNSPE).Known popularly as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, it is the largest school feeding programme in the world. Under the Scheme, free cooked meal is provided to all the children studying in government, local body and government-aided primary and upper primary schools during all school days.The objective of this programme was to give a boost to universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance and, simultaneously, meet the nutritional requirements of students in primary classes, as stated by the Government of India.