Chhattisgarh Midday Meal Cooks Strike: Seeking Fair Wages and Recognition
Chhattisgarh midday meal cooks strike for better wages, highlighting labor issues.
Photo by Josh Withers
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Daily wage: Rs 66
Demand: Wage increase, better conditions
Impact: Disruption of midday meal program
Key Numbers
Visual Insights
Chhattisgarh: Midday Meal Disruption Due to Cooks' Strike (January 2026)
Map showing the state of Chhattisgarh, where the midday meal cooks' strike is taking place, disrupting the PM Poshan scheme. The marker indicates the state capital, Raipur.
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Exam Angles
GS Paper 2: Social Justice, Government Policies and Interventions
GS Paper 3: Issues relating to Poverty and Hunger
Connection to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 4 (Quality Education)
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Summary
Background
The Mid-Day Meal Scheme, now known as PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman), has a long history in India. Its roots can be traced back to pre-independence initiatives in some states, but a nationwide push began in 1995 as the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE). Initially, it provided only dry rations.
In 2001, a Supreme Court order mandated cooked meals in all government and government-aided primary schools. Over the years, the scheme has expanded to include upper primary classes and has undergone several revisions to improve nutritional content, hygiene, and monitoring. The program's evolution reflects a growing recognition of the link between nutrition, education, and child development.
Latest Developments
In recent years, the PM POSHAN scheme has faced challenges related to funding, supply chain disruptions (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), and ensuring consistent quality across diverse regions. There's been increasing emphasis on direct benefit transfers (DBT) to families in some areas, although this approach has sparked debate regarding its effectiveness compared to providing cooked meals.
The future outlook involves greater integration with other nutrition-related programs, leveraging technology for monitoring and evaluation, and addressing concerns about the wages and working conditions of cooks and other support staff. The National Education Policy 2020 also emphasizes the importance of nutrition for children's learning outcomes, potentially leading to further reforms in the scheme.
Practice Questions (MCQs)
1. Consider the following statements regarding the PM POSHAN scheme: 1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme. 2. It provides cooked meals to children in government and government-aided schools up to Class VIII. 3. The scheme mandates a minimum nutritional value for the meals provided. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: D
All three statements are correct. PM POSHAN is a centrally sponsored scheme providing cooked meals with mandated nutritional value to children up to Class VIII in government and government-aided schools.
2. Which of the following statements is NOT correct regarding the historical evolution of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in India?
- A.It initially started as the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) providing dry rations.
- B.A Supreme Court order in 2001 mandated cooked meals in all government and government-aided primary schools.
- C.The scheme has always included upper primary classes since its inception.
- D.The scheme has undergone revisions to improve nutritional content and hygiene.
- E.E) Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is being implemented in some areas
Show Answer
Answer: C
The Mid-Day Meal Scheme initially focused on primary classes and was later extended to upper primary classes. Therefore, option C is incorrect.
3. Assertion (A): Strikes by midday meal cooks can significantly disrupt the nutritional intake of students. Reason (R): Midday meal cooks are often paid meager wages and lack recognition as regular government employees. In the context of the above, which of the following is correct?
- A.Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
- B.Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
- C.A is true, but R is false.
- D.A is false, but R is true.
Show Answer
Answer: A
Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why strikes by midday meal cooks disrupt student nutrition. Low wages and lack of recognition contribute to dissatisfaction and potential strikes.