Carrying forward its aam admi (common man) plank the Congress-led UPA government on Thursday decided to extend the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) to children studying in the upper primary stage in the government and government-aided schools.

The decision to this effect was taken by the Union Cabinet at its meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here. The MDMS for upper primary school students will be extended to as many as 3479 educationally backward blocs during the current fiscal and subsequently would be extended across the country during 2008-09, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told newspersons after the Cabinet meeting.

Under the MDMS for upper primary students central assistance to the tune of Rs 60,000 per unit will be given to construct kitchen-cum store in the upper primary schools.

Besides, central assistance of Rs 5000 per school will be given for kitchen devices. Calorie value of mid-day meal for upper primary students is fixed at 700 calories and 20 grams of protein.

Food-grains at the rate of 150 grams per child/ school day will be given for the upper primary stage over and above the allocations for the lower primary by the FCI.