Concerns Rise Over Mid-Day Meal Participation in West Bengal Schools

Government Seeks Report on Mid-Day Meal Scheme Participation

The central government has requested a detailed report from the West Bengal administration following alarming statistics indicating that over 40% of students did not participate in the mid-day meal program under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman initiative for the 2024-2025 academic year.

According to recent minutes from the Programme Approval Board, there was a significant decline of 10 lakh students participating in the scheme from the previous year, 2023-2024.

This centrally-funded initiative aims to provide nutritious meals to children enrolled in government and aided educational institutions.

Reports indicate that in 15 districts across West Bengal, more than 40% of students enrolled in the program did not receive mid-day meals in 2024-2025, with Cooch Behar recording the lowest participation at just 46%.

Furthermore, the Programme Approval Board noted a drop of 4.01 lakh in student enrollment from 2023-2024 to 2024-2025, alongside a decrease of 8.04 lakh in actual meal coverage.

The proposed enrollment for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year has also seen a decline of 6 lakh students.

Minutes from the board emphasized the need for efforts to ensure all eligible students are included in the mid-day meal program.

At the pre-primary level, coverage was reported at 78%, while primary level participation was at 74%. However, the upper primary level saw a sharp decline to 58%.

Data revealed that out of 1,13,44,146 students enrolled in the scheme for 2024-2025, only 77,91,946, approximately 69%, actually received the meals. For 2025-2026, coverage has been approved for 80,16,881 students.

Additionally, the Programme Approval Board highlighted that some schools and municipal corporations were still holding funds outside the designated Single Nodal Agency accounts, which are required for the scheme.

The state has been instructed to transfer these funds promptly and take necessary actions against officials responsible for any delays or violations of the Government of India’s guidelines.

In response to these findings, the additional secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy expressed significant concern and requested a report from the West Bengal government by June 30.