New Delhi: The central government on Tuesday asked state governments to focus on proper implementation of the mid-day meal scheme, an official release said.

In a meeting of the programme approval board, representatives from 27 states were briefed on the corrective measures and actions needed for improving the mid-day meal scheme, a statement from the human resource development ministry said.

It said an amount of over Rs.22,000 crore has already been released to the states and union territories - or 24 percent of the total budgetary allocation for the scheme which stands at over Rs.9,440 crore.

The annual work plan for the states and union territories was also approved during the meeting.

The mid-day meal scheme, started in 1995, involves provision of free lunch to school-children on all working days. The key objectives of the programme are protecting children from classroom hunger, increasing school enrolment and attendance, improved socialization among children belonging to all castes, addressing malnutrition, and social empowerment through provision of employment to women. IANS