Latest news with #Mid-DayMealScheme
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
New tools offer breakthrough in tackling 'hidden hunger' in India
NEW DELHI: A new toolkit developed by The George Institute for Global Health (GIGH), India, in collaboration with Rutgers University, US and other international partners, promises to reshape India's response to malnutrition by helping map and understand its complex food environments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The study, published in Current Developments in Nutrition, addresses how availability, affordability, and access to food influence nutritional outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. The GIGH is an independent medical research organisation with a focus on improving the health of millions worldwide, particularly those living in disadvantaged settings. Established in 1999 and headquartered in Sydney, it operates major research centres in India, China, and the UK. Led by Shauna Downs of Rutgers and featuring Suparna Ghosh-Jerath from The George Institute, the research introduces a 'Food Environment Toolbox' that includes seven practical tools such as participatory mapping and market assessments. These tools were piloted across rural, urban, and peri-urban areas in India and Cambodia. India's food landscape is shifting rapidly, with growing market dependence not matched by better nutrition. 'We developed the toolbox through an iterative process, ensuring it reflects the realities of LMICs,' said Dr. Ghosh-Jerath. The country continues to battle a double burden—widespread nutrient deficiencies alongside rising diet-related diseases. National surveys reveal severe anaemia among women and children, underscoring the need for diet quality over mere calorie sufficiency. The new toolkit could enhance key nutrition schemes like POSHAN Abhiyaan, ICDS, and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by aligning them more closely with regional food realities. 'The tools were adaptable across diverse contexts,' noted Dr. Downs, calling them a 'timely step toward more effective, evidence-based nutrition policy.'
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Giaspura School head seeks CM intervention
Following the disappearance of several quintals of ration allocated for the Mid-Day Meal scheme at the Government Primary School (GPS) in Giaspura, the district education officer (DEO) elementary had previously initiated a preliminary inquiry into the matter. However, in light of the continued inaction and absence of any concrete outcomes, the officiating head of the institution has now escalated the issue by formally writing to the chief minister. DEO Ravinder Kaur, had ordered an inquiry in January, into the mismanagement of food grain stock at the school, after a major discrepancy was found between the food grain stock recorded in October 2024 and the actual amount available at the school. The issue was brought to light by the officiating head teacher, Sukhdhir Sekhon, who reported that by December last year, the school had completely run out of wheat grains, leaving only a small quantity of rice. Responding to the situation, DEO Kaur directed the block primary education officer (BPEO) of Sidhwan Bet, Hardev Singh, to conduct the inquiry. According to an enquiry report, on October 23 last year, 85 quintals of wheat and 97 quintals of rice were marked as delivered to the school. However, staff members have confirmed that no such stock ever reached the premises. In fact, receipts for these quantities were issued to the vendor, but the school never received the rice, leading to a serious supply shortage. Making matters worse, the school's storeroom lacks the capacity to even hold such large quantities, raising further questions about how such a large-scale discrepancy went unnoticed. DEO informed that she has submitted an enquiry report to higher authorities on May 7, recommending strict action against the school's former head teacher and several staff members allegedly involved in the matter. Highlighting the ongoing challenges, Sekhon explained, 'As per block-level records, we appear to have ample food stock, but in reality, we don't. When we request additional supplies, the system shows we have enough, which isn't true. This mismatch is directly impacting our ability to provide mid-day meals.' Sekhon further shared that a few days ago, the state coordinator of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme visited the school. 'I explained the entire issue to him. He assured that he would look into the matter,' he said. During an October visit to the school last year, DEO Kaur also discovered multiple irregularities, including discrepancies in student attendance records, mismatches between the attendance register and the e-Punjab portal, and incomplete stock registers for uniforms. Furthermore, the January 2024 grants for room construction had not been verified, and OMR sheets for competency assessments were reportedly missing from several classes.
India Today
21-04-2025
- Health
- India Today
40% countries do not have food safety rules in schools: Unesco report
A new worldwide report by UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring (GEM) team sounded an alarm regarding the lack of adequate strong laws and regulations to oversee the quality of food and drinks consumed in schools. The report shows that only around 60% of the nations have regulations, which means that student health is perhaps not getting the attention it the 187 countries questioned, a mere 93 had some type of law, standard, or policy regarding food and beverages offered at of the 93, fewer than a third had measures to limit promotion of food and soft drink brands in schools. The study was sponsored by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the School Meals STATE IN LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES The GEM staff also explored food and nutrition education in 30 low- and middle-income nations. It found that in most cases, it was being carried out in short-term projects or activities rather than in an integrated school another review, most school meal programmes were reported to have objectives of improving nutrition and health and social welfare. But only a few had attempts at preventing obesity or unhealthy weight report noted that most countries had some limitations on food marketing near schools, but national bans on the sale of certain foods near school campuses were not so the developed countries with high incomes, the nutrition policy emphasis was usually on public message and provision of food report calls for more vigorous government action and sustained steps to promote student health with better food in SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMMES: GAPS IN COVERAGE, FUNDING AND ACCESSA recent global review shows 47% of children in primary schools -- about 459 million children -- were receiving school meals in 2024, from 418 million in 2022. However, there is wide disparity in how countries finance and implement these having USD 80 billion international spending on school feeding, over 60% of programmes charge families for their share, and one-third are underfinanced - especially in low- and lower-middle-income is universal or near-universal coverage in Brazil, Finland, South Korea, and PM-Poshan Scheme, formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme, has increased the enrolment of girls and of marginalised communities. However, delayed fund transfers and poor real-time monitoring reporting have been problematic. Tamil Nadu has been in the vanguard with additional breakfast meals, improving attendance high-income countries like the UK, coverage of school meals is vulnerable to budget cuts and inequalities of access. For example, in England, around 900,000 poor children are not covered owing to strict local many countries attempt to provide healthy, safe food, the success of school meal programs depends most on policy, the stability of funding, and effective local implementation.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shriram Properties Partners with The Akshaya Patra Foundation with a Commitment to Providing Mid-Day Meals to 2.63 Lakh Young Children
BENGALURU, India, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shriram Properties Limited ("SPL"), a leading mid-market and mid-premium focused residential real estate developers in South India, has joined hands with The Akshaya Patra Foundation to provide mid-day meals to over 2.63 Lakh young dreamers in schools. SPL's partnership with the Akshaya Patra Foundation dates back to 2016, and the Company has reinforced its commitment by being a part of the Akshaya Patra Foundation's ongoing initiative that provides wholesome, hygienic, and nutritious mid-day meals daily to over 2.25 million young school children in government and government-aided schools, under the PM Poshan Scheme (Mid-Day Meal Program). By addressing malnutrition and food insecurity, this initiative aims to improve attendance rates, boost concentration levels, and enhance learning outcomes, fostering a brighter future for the next generation. Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Murali Malayappan, Chairman & Managing Director, SPL, said, "At Shriram Properties, we believe in building not just homes, but stronger communities. Our association with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, established in 2016, reflects this commitment. We are proud to support their ongoing initiative, which provides wholesome, hygienic, and nutritious mid-day meals to over 2.25 million schoolchildren in government and government-aided schools under the PM Poshan Scheme (Mid-Day Meal Program). Giving back to society has always been at the heart of our values, and this initiative further strengthens our commitment to social responsibility and sustainable community development." Mr. Dhananjay Ganjoo, Chief Resource Mobilization & Marketing Officer, Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, "We are immensely grateful to continue our valued partnership with Shriram Properties, a collaboration that significantly amplifies our efforts to combat child malnutrition across India. This renewed commitment from Shriram Properties empowers us to reach over 2.63 lakh young learners, providing them with nutritious mid-day meals essential for their academic and personal growth. Together, we are setting a robust foundation for a healthier, well-nourished future, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive both in school and beyond. Our joint endeavor with Shriram Properties exemplifies a shared vision of nurturing young minds through essential nutrition, supporting them to build their dreams on a strong, healthy base." About The Akshaya Patra Foundation The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which strives to address classroom hunger and malnutrition in India. As the implementing partner of the Government of India's PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Scheme), the Foundation provides hot, nutritious and tasty mid-day meals to children in government and government-aided schools every day to support their nutrition and education. In partnership with the Government of India, various state governments and UT administrations, and the inestimable support of many philanthropic donors and well-wishers, the Foundation has grown from humble beginnings serving just 1,500 school children across five schools to becoming one of the largest (not-for-profit run) school feeding programme in the world, serving wholesome food to over 2.25 million children from 23,000+ schools across 16 States and 3 Union Territories in India. Akshaya Patra continuously forges partnerships and leverages technology to cater to millions of children and has served over 4 billion meals since 2000. The momentous milestone was commemorated at a special event at the UN headquarters in New York on 2 April 2024. About Shriram Properties Limited Shriram Properties Ltd (SPL) is one of South India's leading residential real estate developer, primarily focused on the mid-market and mid-premium segments. SPL's key markets include Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, which together account for nearly 85% of its development activities and is proposing an entry into the Pune markets soon. SPL has demonstrated track-record having delivered 48 projects with a saleable area of 26.5 msf, mostly in Bengaluru and Chennai and in recent years at Kolkata. SPL has a strong development pipeline comprising of 37 projects with an aggregate development potential of 38.4 msf, as of December 31, 2024. Photo: View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
