COVID-19 AND ITS IMPACT ON MID-DAY MEAL PROGRAM IN INDIA

Abstract

Mid-day meal program is one of the largest school feeding meal programs in the world. It provides nutritious food to millions of Indian children. It has also resulted in increasing student’s enrollment and attendance in school. However, due to the pandemic caused by Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, with closures of schools, the program got badly affected. An additional expenditure of Rs. 1600 crores by the Union Government of India, to provide mid-day meal scheme has been announced. 1 As for the poor and for the vulnerable the meal program is only source of having good nutritious food. However, the present time has changed the picture for all. This paper therefore tries to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the Mid-Day meal program in India.

Key words: Mid-Day meal program, education, food, COVID-19, schools

1 PIB Daily Bulletin on COVID-19. Government of India, April 30th 2020. Available from https://www.thehinducentre.com/resources/article31473817.ece/binary/PIB%E2%80%99s%20Daily%20Bulletin %20on%20COVID-19%20as%20on-30-4-2020.pdfv

1 Introduction

India which is home to 1.3 billion people is one of the highly populated countries in the world. It is not only highly populated but diverse in various aspects. From geographical and physical differences there are social, economic and gender differences. These differences are expected to rise when there is a huge calamity, both natural and man-made.

At present entire world is suffering from the virus pandemic. Novel coronavirus or COVID-19 has crippled the entire world with its shocking numbers. Till early August there are 7, 04, 385 deaths around the world due to Corona pandemic. Currently there are 18, 705, 096 confirmed cases in the world. (Worldometer, August 5, 2020) In India itself, there are 19, 08, 254 total cases of which over 12 lacs have been recovered. Total number of deaths are 39, 820. (Worldometer, August 5, 2020) Let us just not only talk about numbers. The effect of the pandemic on people has also been different. Different set and class of people had been affected differently.

Thousands of people in India are suffering from mental and physical agony. People are being pushed to poverty. There are shortage of jobs and work. People are running out of alternatives to earn their livelihood. With the virus spreading now to tier 2 and 3 cities there will be a rise in more problems.

One area which is also badly affected is the education sector. It is no doubt that many schools are taking classes through online medium. But these services are limited to equipped schools. There are areas which are not that technology sound and there is limited data facility. While there is question on how to provide good quality education in those areas, there is another question about providing food to the school students. In a report titled, “COVID-19 aftershocks, A perfect Storm: Millions more children at risk of violence under lockdown and into the “New Normal” by World Vision 177 countries have closed the schools to slow down the impact of COVID-19 on children. Shutting of schools has also increased the risk of emotional, physical violence on them. Children belonging to poor and vulnerable section of

2 societies are further affected by it2. It is said that young children are the ones who are facing the worst consequences of COVID-19 especially in low-and-middle-income countries.3

Many countries have their own systems of providing food to school students. India has one of the largest food distribution schemes to the school children. National Program of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was founded in 1995 by the Government of India as Centrally sponsored scheme. The plan was to distribute cooked free food to the students during lunch. By the year 1997-98 it got extended and implemented in all blocks of the country. The scheme is popularly known as the Mid-Day meal (MDM). It also covers student’s studying in Education guarantee scheme, Alternative and Innovative education and madarsas. Every state and UTs are responsible for its operations and management. Further it is only in 2006-07 it also provides free meals to students belonging to upper primary classes. In 2009-2010, children under National Child Labor Project Schools have come under this scheme. According to the 2018, educational statistics of India total number of children enrolled for Mid- Day Meal scheme are 9.83 crores for the year 2017-18.4

The core idea and objective behind the scheme was to relish hunger and to provide nutrition to the needy children. Many studies suggest that there is an indispensable relationship between nutrition and education.5 Proper diet and food is necessary to build a good mind. Children need good food to grow and to learn things better and faster. India has a high percent of malnutrition. India with its National Nutrition Mission or the POSHAN Abhiyaan, 2018 has put in 1.3 billion US dollars to address the challenges of nutrition.6 In 2017, India had released its National Nutrition Strategy which had presented the problems

2 World Vision. (2020). COVID-19 aftershocks, A PERFECT STORM: MILLIONS MORE CHILDREN AT RISK OF VIOLENCE UNDER LOCKDOWN AND INTO THE ‘NEW NORMAL. It takes a world to end violence against children. May,2020. Available from https://www.wvi.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/Aftershocks%20FINAL%20VERSION_0.pdf

3 Fore Henrietta H, Dongyu Qu, Beasley David M., Ghebreyesus Tedros A. (2020) Child malnutrition and COVID-19: the time to act is now. The Lancet. Volume 396. P 517-518. Available from https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2820%2931648-2

4 Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development. (2018). Educational Statistics at a Glance. Department of School Education and Literacy, Statistics Division, New Delhi. Available from https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/statistics-new/ESAG-2018.pdf 5 Thakur Pratap. (2013). Assessment of children availing mid day meal scheme. Thesis: master in public health. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303242637_ASSESSMENT_OF_CHILDREN_AVAILING_MID_DAY_MEAL_ SCHEME

6 India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Malnutrition Collaborators. (2019) The burden of child and maternal malnutrition and trends in its indicators in the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2017.

3 associated with nutrition. The strategy included in depth district analysis of nutrition burden of India. The objective was to integrate the mission on the lines of National Health Mission, Integrated Child Development Scheme, Mid-Day Meal Scheme Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA), Swachha Bharat Mission etc. 7

India shares the one third of global burden of under nutrition, according to the 2018 the global nutrition report.8 According to the Lancet study, the rate of low birth weight was 21.4% in 2017. The rate of child stunting and child wasting was 39.3% and 15.7% in 2017. The prevalence of child underweight in 2017 was 32.7%. The rate of child anaemia was 59.7% in 2017. The report also highlights the state differentials in terms of malnutrition. The target set by the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 to eliminate all form of malnutrition is difficult to achieve, according to the analysis. National Council on India’s Nutritional challenges, POSHAN Abhiyan, the body set to form policies and monitoring all nutrition based schemes.9

Despite this, there are many challenges faced by the people of India. Nutrition is not just about eating food it is dependent upon how well you eat and how right you eat. This is also dependent upon many factors like education, financials, awareness etc. A very famous book by Michael Marmot, The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity talks about the gradients of health. According to him to be healthy is not just about money. There are other social gradients which defines our health. Education and mental state of a person are two important factors.10 Thus, there is need to make people more aware about their health and their intake of food.

Mid-Day meal challenges

Lancet Child Adolesc Health. Volume 3: 855-70. Available from https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf? pii=S2352-4642%2819%2930273-1

7 NITI Ayog. (2018). Nourishing India, National Nutrition Strategy, Government of India. Available from https://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document_publication/Nutrition_Strategy_Booklet.pdf

8 2018 Global Nutrition Report: Shining a light to spur actions on nutrition. Available from file:///C:/Users/DeepakS/Downloads/2018_Global_Nutrition_Report%20(1).pdf

9 NITI Ayog. (2019-20). NITI Ayog Annual Report, 2019-20. Government of India. Available from https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2020-02/Annual_Report_2019-20.pdf

10 Michael Marmot. (2004) The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. Bloomsbury paperbacks.

4 A program which has not only provide nutritional aid to the students, it has also helped in increasing the count of students enrolling in schools.11 In 2008-2009, the scheme was extended to upper primary schools. According to the 2017 Mid Day Scheme Manual for District-Level Functionaries there has been revision in students’ intake of food for both primary and upper primary students.

Primary School Students Upper Primary School Students Calories – 480 kcal (food grains, pulses, Calories – 720 kcal vegetables, oil/fats, salts) Protein – 12 gms Protein – 20 gms Supplements – Iron, Vitamin A, Folic acid Supplements – Iron, Vitamin A, Folic acid Source: Mid Day Scheme Manual for District-Level Functionaries, 2017

The scheme has been integrated with other spheres of social development like water and sanitation practices, Kitchen storages and school health programs. Although there is an online monitoring of the scheme through Management Information System (MIS) and Automated Monitoring Scheme, there are challenges. The portal (MDM- MIS) look out for the information on students enrolment, teachers, cook/helper details, facilities available for cooking, infrastructure, water facilities, sanitation facilities etc. annual. There is also monthly data on how many meals are served, inspection details, salary paid to cook/ helper. The provision of daily updating about the scheme, there is Automated Monitoring System which provides the real time data about the following: number of students using the schemes, serving of meals in an appropriate way. The way in which the real time information is generated is through SMS, Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS), mobile applications.

COVID 19 and its impact on Mid-Day Meal Scheme

The Novel coronavirus which has obstructed the functioning of every sphere around the globe, poverty has been pushed to its limits. People those who already face their day to day challenges are struck hard by this pandemic. The impact of virus on the education sector is equally bad. Government runs schools aided with many facilities have suffered quite a lot. To start with there is no provision of providing food facilities to students anymore. According to a recent report by the UNICEF on food insecurity and nutrition around the world, recent pandemic is adding 83-132 million people undernourished in 2020. 12

11 Kadari Rajeshwar, Roy Sonal Mobar. (2016). Strengthening the Mid-Day Meal through MIS. South Asian Journal of Engineering and Technology Vol.2, No.10: 1–9. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/33or0727071_Strengthening_the_Mid-Day_Meal_Scheme_through_MIS 12 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World: Transforming food systems affordable healthy diets. Available from https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/SOFI2020_EN_web.pdf

5 UNICEF data suggests that on an average 370 million children may miss on nutritious school meals. 13 Further, the nutritional status of the vulnerable population would further go down.

Amidst this pandemic the United States of America and the World Food Program are soon going to provide hot served meal/ Lunch (Rice and Lentils) to the poor students in the rural areas of Lao PDR from September 2020.14 San Francisco Unified School District is coming up with the ways to operate distribution of meals as a take always to avoid gathering and cluster of people. South Carolina for instance has come with the “Grab-n-Go” initiative providing five days of meals in one go. Private-public partnerships to provide food services and packages in rural areas which students can prepare independently. With schools and child care centers closed in America, children are missing out on food worth at least US $ 30 per week.15

School closures due to COVID-19 have badly affected the school food program across the globe. Students and families relying on these programs are further being pushed to hunger and poverty. Food programs should be thus more flexible keeping well in mind the rules and regulations of encouraging social distancing and other hygiene practices.

In India, the situation is more demeaning. With the increase in time, the Covid-19 is cases now spurring in tier two and tier three cities. Since March, the schools are closed in India following the safety protocols. This has also affected the routine of mid-day meal care program altogether. Children (100 million) between the age groups of 6-14 years are no longer getting free lunch meals in schools.

13 UNICEF. (2020). COVID and Children. August 2020. Available from https://data.unicef.org/topic/covid-19-and- children/

14 World Food Programme. (2020). Food donation from the U.S. helps children stay in school and learning: in times of COVID-19, school lunches more important than ever. News Release. Available from https://www.wfp.org/news/ food-donation-us-helps-children-stay-school-and-learning-times-covid-19-school-lunches-more

15 Dunn Caroline G., Kenney Erica, Fleischhacker Sheila E., Bleich Sara N. (2020). Feeding Low-Income Children during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The New England Journal of Medicine. 382;18. Available from https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp2005638?articleTools=true

6 Almost 321 million school going children are out of schools after the lockdown.16 There are almost 1.3 million government schools (primary and upper primary) covered under this scheme. Government of India has issued orders and requested states and other union territories to continue with the provisioning of mid-day meal program. A recent circular generated on July 31 st 2020, allowing the food security allowances to children. Allowances comprising food grains, pulses, oil etc. are allowed for both primary and upper primary students.17

Students Food (in grams) Particulars Primary 100 Pulses (20 gms), vegetable (50 gms), oil (5 gms), etc. Upper Primary 150 Pulses (30 gms), vegetable (75 gms), oil (7.5 gms), etc. Source: Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of school education & literacy, circular on food security allowance, July, 2020

School food programs in India by Government and Other NGOs during COVID pandemic

United Nations World Food Programme, India has released a document explaining measures to be followed after school reopens as a COVID response. It includes sanitation measures, infrastructure upgrades, standard protocols for daily cleanliness, training of cooks/helpers, ensuring meals during school closures etc. It also includes strict social distancing rules, avoiding daily buying particulars, washing of fruits and vegetables, setting up of kitchen gardens, use of wearing personal protection masks and head mask, cleaning of toilets etc. 18 However, the question remains that how much and how far tee guidelines would be followed. The Akshaya Patra Foundation founded in the year 2000 aims at eliminating children’s hunger by providing them good nutritious food. It is a Non-Governmental organization (NGO) working closely together with the GOI and various state governments. It is also one of the largest NGO in

16

Scott Samuel, Menon Purnima, Yunus Shariqua, Parajuli Bishnoi. (2020). NOURISHING CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN INDIA: HOW IS INDIA’S MEGA SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM COPING WITH COVID- 19? INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. South Asia. Available from https://southasia.ifpri.info/2020/06/01/nourishing-children-and-adolescents-in-india-how-is-indias-mega-school- meal-program-coping-with-covid-19/

17 Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of school education & literacy. 31-07-2020. Circular. F. No. 1-2/2020 Desk (MDM). Available from http://mdm.nic.in/mdm_website/Files/OrderCirculars/2020/JS_DO- Letters/DO_Letter_Food%20Security%20Allowance-31-7-2020.pdf

18 United Nations World Food Programme, India. (2020). MAKING THE MID-DAY MEALS FUNCTIONAL FOLLOWING SCHOOL RE-OPENING | COVID19 RESPONSE. India Country Office. Available from https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000115619/download/?_ga=2.191633192.385793446.1597157657- 761601744.1596620390

7 the world to provide mid-day meals to school children. 1.8 children from over 19,000 thousand schools are covered from twelve states and two Union Territories. 19 In the present pandemic crisis, the foundation is running its COVID-19 relief services starting from March, 2020. On an average over six crore meals are being served to the poor and marginalized people.20

Further, there are different mapping and strategies by some of the state governments.

Andhra Pradesh

The scheme got started off in 2003-04. It is availed by 82 percent of children population. With new modifications the scheme is set to get implemented in all governmental schools. It is one of the few states known to be serving eggs in their menu.21 COVID-19 has resulted in distributing dry ration to its beneficiaries. Rice, eggs and chikkis are being given to the children.22 The scheme has also been extended to the stranded migrants to relish their hunger.23

Bihar

According to the news reports, Bihar government has promised to Rs. 358 to primary and Rs. 536 to upper primary students for 80 days directly in their or their parents account. Apart from financial assistance, ration will also be given to children.24 However, This announcement came very late (Month of May). Bihar which is one of the poorest states in India, Mid-Day meal scheme is the only hope of

19 Akshaya Patrika. Unlimited food for education. About us. Available from https://www.akshayapatra.org/about-us 20 Akshaya Patrika. Unlimited food for education. Eminent Celebrities Support Our COVID Relief Efforts. Blog. June, 2020. Available from https://blog.akshayapatra.org/celebrities-support-covid-relief/ 21 Aishwarya Upadhyay. (2020) New Day, New Name And New Menu: Andhra Pradesh’s Mid-Day Meals Get An Upgrade. NDTV news. Andhra Pradesh. Available from https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/new-day-new-name-and-new-menu-andhra-pradeshs-mid-day-meals-get- an-upgrade-41217/

22 Express News Service. (2020). Andhra Pradesh teachers to distribute mid-day meal ration. New Indian Express. Vijayawada, April 2020. Available from https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra- pradesh/2020/apr/04/andhra-pradesh-teachers-to-distribute-mid-day-meal-ration--2125628.html

23 Janyala Sreeniwas. (2020) Coronavirus: Andhra Pradesh extends nutritious mid-day meal to stranded migrants. Indian Express. Hyderabad, April 2020. Available from https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/hyderabad/coronavirus-andhra-pradesh-extends-nutritious-mid-day-meal-to- stranded-migrants-6344025/

8 nutritious food for many children. Further, the amount to be distributed per head is failed to meet the nutritional requirements according to some experts.25

Chhattisgarh

40 days of dry rice and lentils, in separate quantities for upper and primary students will be distributed. There will be 4 kgs of rice and 800 gms of dal for primary students and 6 kgs of rice and 1200 gms of dal for upper primary children is planned to get distributed.26

Haryana

Haryana has taken another step in not just limiting the meals to school students but also to the school drop outs and out of school students. Due to this pandemic, teachers are distributing food items (dry) and sanitization items (masks, soap and sanitizers) to students home.27

Jharkhand

Jharkhand Educational Project Council , Government of Education has conducted an online survey, a questioner to seek information regarding whether to open school or not during the pandemic. The question on mid-day meal included what mode of mid-day meal should become operational, that is, serving cooked food, dry ration with direct bank transfer.28

24 Prashasti Singh. (2020). Bihar students to get ration, money under mid-day meal scheme. Hindustan Times. Asian News International, Patna. July 2020. Available from https://www.hindustantimes.com/patna/bihar-students-to-get- ration-money-under-mid-day-meal-scheme/story-gnR6cFN0MGzjLs5v3YUzbL.html

25 Kumar Rohin. (2020). In the absence of mid-day meals, children in Bihar survive on roti-onion, bhaat-achar. Almost half the under-5 kids in the state are stunted or underweight. Gaon Collection. July, 2020. https://en.gaonconnection.com/in-the-absence-of-mid-day-meals-children-in-bihar-survive-on-roti-onion-bhaat- achar-almost-half-the-under-5-kids-in-the-state-are-stunted-or-underweight/

26 Nayyar Mishika. 2020. COVID-19: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand fight it back. Invest India. April 2020. Available from https://www.investindia.gov.in/team-india-blogs/covid-19-madhya-pradesh-chhattisgarh-and- jharkhand-fight-it-back

27 Hindustan Times Correspondent. (2020). Mid Day Meals to be extended to out-of-school children in Haryana. Hindustan Times. July 2020. Available from https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/mid-day-meals-to-be- extended-to-out-of-school-children-in-haryana/story-SP2ylzB5OBiOSl7KCKlDmL.html

28 Government of Jharkhand. (2020). Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of Jharkhand invites suggestions from parents / parents of students studying in schools. Feedback form, E-Vidya Vahini. Available from http://evidyavahini.nic.in/edu/school/reports/parents_feedback.php

9 Kerala

Government is distributing provision and rice kits to students (pre primary-VIII) for forty days until the school are regularly opened. The kits are being prepared by SupplyCo.29 The kits is being distributed by mid-day meal committee, Parents Teacher Association (PTA), schools respectively.

However, the pace of distribution of dry ration, food items and meals is not up to the mark. There is no doubt that there are a huge number of students which solely rely on such meals. Many states performance is not up to the mark and there often questioning on their functioning of mid-day meals. Within states too different districts have different performances.303132 There have been instances where due to the shutting of schools and meal program, students are forced to get back to other activities like rag picking, begging etc. to quench their hunger33 Not only children who are suffering but the people who runs this meal program either be kitchen staff or other workers deployed at various schools are not getting enough salary to meet their daily ends.3435

29 Anil Kumar B S. (2020). Kerala: Rice and provision kits for mid-day meal beneficiaries. The Time sof India. June 2020. Available from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-rice-and-provision-kits- for-mid-day-meal-beneficiaries/articleshow/76524418.cms

30 Sharma Navneet. (2020). 3 weeks on, most students still to get mid-day meal ration. Hindustan Times. Chandigarh. April, 2020. Available from https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/3-weeks-on-most-students-still- to-get-mid-day-meal-ration/story-CsvYJItHluFUYNHffK77iL.html 31 Iftikhar Fareeha. (2020). As Delhi schools remain shut, students yet to receive mid-day meal allowance since April. Hindustan Times, Delhi. July, 2020. Available from https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-as-schools- remain-shut-students-yet-to-receive-mid-day-meal-allowance-since-april/story-Zz1V3NVNaOLoiNkNTJYVnN.html

32 Gatty Harsha R., Rathee Pranshu. (2020). Poor in Bengaluru unsure of next meal during COVID-19 lockdown; low quality PDS ration, absence of mid-day meals contributed to food insecurity. First post. June, 2020. Available from https://www.firstpost.com/india/poor-in-bengaluru-unsure-of-next-meal-during-covid-19-lockdown-low-quality- pds-ration-absence-of-mid-day-meals-contributed-to-food-insecurity-8516971.html

33 Kakvi Kashif. (2020). No School, No Mid-day Meal; Jhuggi Kids Forced To Return To Rag-picking And Begging To Stay Alive. The Logical Indian. Madhya Pradesh. July, 2020. Available from https://thelogicalindian.com/news/lockdown-and-closing-of-schools-pushes-students-to-beggary-22620

34 News Click. (2020). No Wages for 5 Months, Karnataka Mid-day Meal Workers Struggle to Make Ends Meet. August, 2020. Available from https://www.newsclick.in/No-Wages-5-Months-Karnataka-Mid-day-Meal-Workers- Struggle-Make-Ends-Meet

35 Meethal Amiya. (2020). 13,000 school midday meal workers hit hard by Covid. The New Indian Express. June, 2020. Available from https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2020/jun/19/13000-school-midday-meal- workers-hit-hard-by-covid-2158420.html

10 Conclusion

The impact of the pandemic on health and security of people is evident. People suffering from hunger and poverty as there no jobs, salary issues, poor health etc. People availing the benefits of meal programs in India have left baffled and stranded. However, there are many governmental and non-governmental organizations which are looking after the food requirements of people; still the situation is not pleasant to look at. This program does not only help providing nutritious meals to students, it also builds a sense of opportunistic livelihood to meal workers. Only recently, among many scheme workers in India like ASHAs, annganwadi workers and other frontline workers, mid-day meal workers also protested asking

11 for their security and insurance allowances. 36 Mid-Day meal workers are demanding Rs. 1,000 per month and good space friendly work space to avoid crowd. The pandemic has made their lives difficult as there are many workers who are the sole breadwinners of their family.

36 Press Trust of India. (2020). ASHA, Anganwadi, other scheme workers to go on 2-day strike. Deccan Herald. New Delhi. August, 2020. Available from https://www.deccanherald.com/national/asha-anganwadi-other-scheme- workers-to-go-on-2-day-strike-870274.html

12