Friday, August 3, 2012

Real Nutritional Values in Mid Day Meal Programme

Image by FlamingText.com
National Programme of Mid Day Meal in Schools (MDMS) is a flagship programme of the Government of India aiming at enhancing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children studying in Government, Local Body and Government-aided primary and upper primary schools and the Centres run under Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS)/Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) and National Children Labour Project (NCLP) schools of all areas across the country. MDM is also served in drought-affected areas during summer vacation also.

Cooked mid-day meals provides

To achieve the objectives of the Scheme, the guidelines prescribe the following nutritional content in the mid day meal: 
Components Primary Upper Primary
Calories 450 Cal 700 Cal
Protein 12 gms. 20 gms.
Micro-nutrients Adequate quantities of micro-nutrients like Iron, Folic Acid , Vitamin-A etc.

The component-wise break up of above nutrition value of food items constituting Mid Day Meal (MDM), both for primary and upper primary, are as under:-
 
S. No.
Items
Primary
Upper Primary
Require-ment under MDM
 (in gms)
Energy content
 (in calories)
Protein Content (in gms)
Require-ment under MDM
(in gms)
Energy content
 (in calories)
Protein Content (in gms)
1.
Foodgrains (Rice / Wheat)
100
340
8
150
510
14
2.
Pulses
20
70
5
30
105
6.6
3.
Vegetables
50
25
--
75
37
--
4.
Oil & Fat
5
45
--
7.5
68
--
5.
Salt & Condiments
As per need
--
--
As per need
--
--