Sector Scheme Level: MDM

The Evolution of India’s Welfare System from 2008-2023: A Lookback

In the 15 years that have gone by, India has seen a significant transition in the social sector, and lived through a pandemic. At the Accountability Initiative, Centre for Policy Research, we have tracked the provision of welfare services and entitlements since 2008, in-step with the country’s evolution over these years. The year 2023 marks a moment to pause and reflect for us as we celebrate our 15th anniversary, and the Centre for Policy Research reaches its milestone of 50 years.

But, aside from our legacy of evidence-based knowledge sharing, this reflection is important in one more way. In 2024, India will choose a new government. A lookback on welfare spending and outcomes is an essential first step to understanding future priorities and pathways to development.

Drawing from previous Union Budgets, this Special Brief will dive into six major aspects. Firstly, reviewing the sources of funding available with the government. Secondly, analysing trends in expenditures including social sector allocations for key ministries and schemes. Thirdly, the devolution of funds to states who are primary spenders on welfare services. Fourthly, unpacking social sector schemes over the years. Fifthly, analysing select outputs and outcomes over time. Lastly, we offer our own experience by providing a snapshot of the changes in government Management Information Systems which are critical to monitoring welfare schemes, among other aspects.

For the purpose of this Special Brief, we are covering the period from 2009-2023. Actual Government of India (GoI) expenditures have been used till Financial Year (FY) 2020-21. For FY 2021-22, figures are Revised Estimates (REs) and Budget Estimates (BEs) for FY 2022-23.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman

The National Programme of PM POSHAN, previously known as the National Scheme for Mid-Day Meals in schools (MDM), is a scheme to provide one hot cooked meal in government and government-aided schools, with an aim to improve the nutritional status of students.

This brief reports on trends for PM POSHAN performance along the following parameters:
■ Past trends in allocations, releases, and utilisation;
■ Coverage and provision of meals to students; and
■ Management Information System (MIS) and Automated Monitoring System (AMS).

Mid-Day Meal Scheme

The National Programme of Mid-Day Meals in School (MDM) scheme is Government of India’s (GoI’s) flagship school-based feeding programme aimed at improving the nutritional status of students and promoting the universalisation of elementary education.

Using government data, this brief reports on trends for MDM performance along the following parameters:

■ Overall trends in allocations, releases and expenditures;

■ Expenditure performance on key MDM components such as food grains, cooking costs, honorarium to cook- cum-helper (CCH), traveling assistance and monitoring, management and evaluation;

■ Progress on construction of kitchen-cum-stores, and;

■ Coverage as indicated through the provision of meals to students.

Closing Feedback Loops and Enhancing Accountability

Interactive Voice Response System: Closing Feedback Loops and Enhancing Accountability in the Mid- Day Meal Scheme

The field notes series seeks to document the implementation of accountability mechanisms built into key government programs for service delivery. The current note summarises the key issues affecting the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and suggests policy recommendations for improving the scheme. It focuses primarily on how the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) can be used to strengthen the Scheme.

School Management Committees

Section 21 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (RTE), mandates the formation of School Management Committees (SMCs) in all elementary government, government-aided schools and special category schools in the country. The RTE Act envisions an SMC as the basic unit of a decentralised model of governance with active involvement of parents in the school’s functioning. This policy brief highlights the successes, challenges and opportunities in the functioning of School Management Committees as envisioned in the RTE Act.

PAISA District Surveys: Mid-Day Meals

The Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme is the world’s largest school based feeding program covering around 12 crores children in over 12.65 lakhs elementary schools across the country. Since its launch, MDM has been rigorously evaluated by academics and policy practitioners from the perspective of its impact on key parameters such as student enrolment and attendance and on student nutrition levels.However; there is relatively little rigorous empirical work on the day to day governance of the scheme.

This PAISA study is an attempt to fill this gap. It examines governance questions with a focus on the budgeting and financing system in MDM. Through a combination of primary survey work and secondary analysis of government documents, this study tracks releases, grain and fund flows and expenditures from Government of India all the way down the schools for the financial year 2011-12. The study is based on data collected from two districts each in Uttar Pradesh (Hardoi and Jaunpur) and Bihar (Nalanda and Purnea).

Interactive Voice Response Daily Monitoring System

The field notes series seeks to document the implementation of accountability mechanisms built into key government programs for service delivery. Between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm every day, headmasters of government-run elementary schools in Uttar Pradesh receive an automated phone call from state headquarters asking them to report on the number of mid-day meals served to school children. In response, headmasters punch in the appropriate number. This data is then uploaded into a software program that generates daily monitoring reports, allowing senior officers to monitor the program, in real time, across the state

This is Uttar Pradesh’s (UP) effort at introducing a technology-driven method to monitor the Mid-Day Meal scheme. Launched in July 2010, this method uses a technology known as Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) to create a real time database on the number of mid-day meals served in UP’s schools. The current note assesses the perceived benefits of an IVRS based daily monitoring of Mid-Day Meals scheme in Uttar Pradesh and examines perceptions of various stakeholders towards it