RELEVANCE OF MID DAY MEAL PROGRAMME WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO LOCAL BODY SCHOOLS OF DURG AND BHILAI TOWN

Abstract

In India illiteracy is one of the major problems of Indian society. There are many programmes/schemes/projects are run by the central and state governments which meant to increase in literacy. Therefore Mid-day meal programme was introduced in 1995 with one of the aim to increase in enrollment of children in primary schools. In many evaluative studies of MDMP by the government, it is claimed that enrollment of children has increased drastically and still it is one of reasons for increase in enrollment. To evaluate the programmme,  that still after more  than 20 years when socio-economic scenario of the Indian society has changed the, MDMP  is still equally relevant and effective for increase in enrollment, the researcher is selected  10 -10  local  body  schools of Durg and Bhilai  towns. In local body schools of Durg a women Self Help Group "Sakhi Saheli" has been supplying the cooked food while in Bhilai "Akshay Patra Foundation" has been supplying  meal. 10 children from 5th to 8th standard have been selected from each school. The primary tool of data collection is an Interview schedule. Data  analysis showed that most  of the children  are willing to  come to school  even  if government would have discontinue MDMP i.e. it is no longer the reason for increase in  enrollment and regular attendance in schools.