Soaring prices hit midday meal scheme

Rising prices are having a severe impact on the free midday meal scheme that was meant to prop up the nutritional status of growing children in a country where children suffer over 50 per cent energy deficit and 20 per cent protein deficit.

That's because no additional allocations are being made to deal with this contingency.

Soaring prices have made the spicy dal more watery but there is still a rush of children queuing up for the so-called hot cooked midday meal at school. That's because for most children here, this is still the most filling meal of the day.

In a country that has the notorious distinction of having nearly 50 per cent of its children perennially hungry, the tragedy is that rising prices have the greatest impact on public welfare programmes like the midday meal scheme.

Each midday meal for a primary school child is supposed to have 100 gram of rice that is provided free of cost plus 20 gram of pulses, 50 gram of vegetables, 5 gram of fat or oil, spices and egg twice a week.

"Twenty gram of pulses was the original allotment that was to cost 50-75 paise. Now, it is one rupee fifty paise for 20 gram - almost double. There is bound to be a compromise because whoever is providing, they don't have the resources," said Dr K Sesikeran, Director, National Institute of Nutrition.

Studies have shown that children who access midday meals already have a 20 per cent protein deficit. A further drop in protein intake could mean serious consequences like stunted growth and loss of immunity.