{
  "id": 18440681,
  "title": "15,000 Self-Help Groups Across MP Struggle With Lakhs In Debt As Midday Meal Payments Remain Pending For Months; Statewide 'Chakka Jam' On November 17",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/15-000-self-help-groups-across-mp-struggle-with-lakhs-in-debt-as",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T03:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/15000-self-help-groups-across-mp-struggle-with-lakhs-in-debt-as-midday-meal-payments-remain-pending-for-months-statewide-chakka-jam-on-november-17"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Madhya Pradesh, approximately 15,000 self-help groups (SHGs) that prepare midday meals for schoolchildren and supplementary nutrition for Anganwadi beneficiaries are facing significant challenges due to pending payments. These groups have been without funds since July for school meals and since August for Anganwadi centers, leading to debts running into lakhs of rupees. Members are resorting to borrowing money from local shopkeepers to buy groceries and essentials, but the situation remains dire. The crisis is impacting two separate government nutrition programs—the Mid-Day Meal scheme and the Anganwadi nutrition program. Under the Mid-Day Meal scheme, SHGs receive Rs 10 per child per meal, while under the Anganwadi program, they receive Rs 8 per child for breakfast and lunch combined, with Rs 5 allocated for the main meal. Complaints about the quality of midday meals have also been rising, with some students staging protests over the food served. The state government has acknowledged the delay in payments, attributing it to a change in the payment mechanism from the Government of India's portal to the SNA Sparsh portal. The Department of School Education is now working to clear pending payments from July, August, and September.",
  "summary": "Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Around 15,000 self-help groups (SHGs) engaged in preparing midday meals for schoolchildren and supplementary nutrition for Anganwadi beneficiaries across Madhya Pradesh are struggling to keep their kitchens running, with payments pending for months. While groups supplying meals to government schools have not received payments since July, those preparing food for Anganwadi…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}