India, July 10 -- By Binod Prasad Adhikari

Makwanpur [Nepal], July 10 (ANI): For Shishir Praja, a fifth-grade student in an impoverished pocket of Makwanpur, the school bell signalling the tiffin break is more than just a pause in lessons; it is a lifeline.

Standing in line with his plate, he is part of a generation of students for whom the government-sponsored "Diwa Khaja Karyakram" (Mid-Day Meal Program) has become the primary incentive for regular school attendance.

"Because the school provides tiffin, I attend regularly, which ultimately saves money for my home," said Shishir to ANI, whose community, the marginalised Chepang group, often faces the daily struggle of food insecurity.

What began six decades ago as a scattered, donor-...