This article is based on the findings of a recent survey of the midday meal programme in Madhya Pradesh. Comparison of the new ‘suruchi bhojan’ with the old ‘daliya’ programme in the government primary schools in the survey area and observations on programme implementation in Karnataka, suggest a pressing need to overhaul the administrative and financial organisation of the scheme in order to increase its effectiveness. Urgent improvements in the nutritive content of meals and related infrastructure requires earmarked funds and a transparent and representative agency, for effectively implementing and monitoring the scheme, at the grassroots level.