A mid-day meal is a school lunch provided to children in government and government-aided schools in India as a part of the PM-POSHAN (Poshan Shakti Nirman) initiative (formerly the Mid-Day Meal Scheme) to improve their nutritional levels and support their education. In November 2001, the Supreme Court of India passed a mandate stating, “We direct the state governments/union territories to implement the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by providing every child in every government and government-assisted primary school with a prepared midday meal.”
The provision of mid-day meals in India has helped in:
Increasing enrolment in schools.
Increasing attendance.
Mitigating classroom hunger.
Helping students concentrate in the classroom.
Reducing the drop-out rate among students.
Addressing the issue of malnutrition among children.
Empowering women through employment.
Improving socialisation among children.