Mid-day Meal Program and Incidence of Child Labour in a Developing Economy

The present paper purports to examine the consequence of mid-day meal program and/or cash stipend scheme on the incidence of child labour in a developing economy using a three-sector general equilibrium model. It has been found that the policy may be counterproductive as it lowers both the initial incomes of the working families and the return on education. Direct cash payments to the working families instead of mid-day meal program are likely to be effective in eradicating the problem of child labour.