Haryana mid-day meal scheme covers over 14L students annually

The Haryana government on Tuesday reported that more than 14.80 lakh students annually, on an average, have benefited from the Mid-Day Meal scheme since 2019, with financial allocations and disbursements witnessing significant fluctuations over the years. The details were tabled in the House by School Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda in response to a question raised by Kaithal MLA Aditya Surjewala in the ongoing budget session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha, here today.

Data tabled in the minister’s reply shows that total beneficiaries under the scheme stood at 14,47,990 in 2019-20, rising to 17,65,992 in 2021-22, before declining to 14,80,150 in 2025-26. The highest number of beneficiaries was recorded in 2021-22, coinciding with post-pandemic normalization in schools.

Among districts, Mewat consistently recorded the highest number of beneficiaries. The district reported: 1,53,415 students in 2019-20; 1,96,185 in 2021-22; and 2,28,018 in 2024-25 (highest during the period). Other districts with large beneficiary counts include Hisar, Karnal, Gurugram, Sirsa, Faridabad, and Palwal.

The highest allocation was made in 2023-24, when ₹83,800 lakh was sanctioned.

The minister’s reply further mentioned that “Districts receiving the highest cumulative disbursements over the years include Mewat, Hisar, Karnal, Sirsa, Gurugram, and Kaithal. In 2023-24 alone, Mewat received Rs. 8,028.29 lakh — the highest among all districts”.