Chutani Alka Mohan
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2012;21(1):151-4.
The School Lunch Program in India (SLP) is the largest food and nutrition assistance program feeding millions of children every day. This paper provides a review of the background information on the SLP in India earlier known as national program for nutrition support to primary education (NP-NSPE) and later as mid day meal scheme, including historical trends and objectives and components/characteristics of the scheme. It also addresses steps being taken to meet challenges being faced by the administrators of the program in monitoring and evaluation of the program. This program was initially started in 1960 in few states to overcome the complex problems malnutrition and illiteracy. Mid Day Meal Scheme is the popular name for school meal program. In 2001, as per the supreme court orders, it became mandatory to give a mid day meal to all primary and later extended to upper primary school children studying in the government and government aided schools. This scheme benefitted 140 million children in government assisted schools across India in 2008, strengthening child nutrition and literacy. In a country with a large percent of illiterate population with a high percent of children unable to read or write; governmental and non-governmental organizations have reported that mid day meal scheme has consistently increased enrollment in schools in India. One of the main goals of school lunch program is to promote the health and well-being of the Nation's children.
印度学校午餐计划（SLP）是规模最大的食品和营养援助计划，每天为数百万儿童提供餐食。本文回顾了印度学校午餐计划的背景信息，该计划曾被称为全国初等教育营养支持计划（NP - NSPE），后又称为午餐计划，内容包括历史趋势、目标以及该计划的组成部分/特点。本文还阐述了为应对该计划管理人员在监测和评估计划时所面临的挑战而采取的措施。该计划最初于1960年在少数几个邦启动，旨在解决营养不良和文盲等复杂问题。午餐计划是学校供餐计划的通俗名称。2001年，根据最高法院的命令，向所有小学生提供午餐成为强制性规定，后来这一规定扩大到在政府和政府资助学校就读的高年级小学生。2008年，该计划使印度各地政府资助学校的1.4亿儿童受益，增强了儿童的营养状况和识字能力。在一个文盲人口比例很高且有很大比例儿童不会读写的国家，政府和非政府组织报告称，午餐计划持续提高了印度学校的入学率。学校午餐计划的主要目标之一是促进国家儿童的健康和福祉。
