Evaluative Study of Mid Day Meal Programme in Amravati and Nagpur District

The Mid Day Meal programme in India has long been positioned as a key social intervention aimed at improving child nutrition, school attendance, and learning outcomes, particularly in economically vulnerable settings. This study evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of the Mid Day Meal programme in selected rural and urban schools of Amravati and Nagpur districts, with a focus on nutritional adequacy, hygiene practices, food quality, and programme management at both school and centralized kitchen levels. Using a descriptive, cross sectional research design, data were collected from 1,000 students across primary and upper primary schools through anthropometric assessment, structured questionnaires, observations, and laboratory analysis of food samples. The findings indicate high programme acceptance and widespread consumption among students, with no significant gender or area based differences in response patterns. While centralized kitchens demonstrated strong compliance with hygiene and food safety standards, gaps were observed in serving size uniformity, teacher engagement during meal distribution, and the achievement of age specific nutrient norms, particularly for energy and protein intake. The study highlights modest improvements in dietary intake and hygiene practices among children and underscores the continued relevance of the Mid Day Meal programme in addressing undernutrition, especially during public health disruptions such as the COVID period. Strengthening monitoring mechanisms, nutrition education, and standardization of practices is essential to enhance the programme?s long term nutritional and educational benefits.