rio assembly
File image of chief minister Neiphiu Rio in Assembly

Nagaland Department of School Education has claimed that during 2018-19, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme has covered 1,63,701 children from 2059 government schools and 44 National Child Labour Project (NCLP) schools as per the provision of the entitlement of students from classes I to VIII.

This was stated in the department’s Annual Administrative Report of 2018-19 which was tabled in the State Assembly on Friday by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, according to reports.

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The Government of India introduced Mid Day Meal Programme on 15 August 1995 in the whole country as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Later in the year 2001, the Supreme Court had ordered all the state governments and union territories to implement Mid-Day Meal Scheme and provide cooked meals to school children from government and government-aided schools.

The scheme was aimed to enhance enrolment, retention and attendance while simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children in schools.

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The scheme also aims to improve the nutritional status of the children in government and government aided schools; improving the nutritional status of children in classes I to VIII; encouraging children belonging to disadvantaged sections to attend school more regularly and help them concentrate on classroom activities.