Center nod to roll-out PM-Poshan scheme for 5 years, to provide 'Mid-Day Meal' to 11.80 crore children
The existing mid-day meal project will be renamed the National Scheme for "PM Poshan Shakti Nirman".
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New Delhi, September 30: With an aim to address malnutrition among school-going children in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Union Cabinet to give a green signal to the rollout of the 'Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman' scheme. The scheme will run for 5 years and the govt will spend Rs 1.31 lakh crores over the period.
The existing mid-day meal project will be renamed the National Scheme for 'PM Poshan Shakti Nirman'. Under the initiative govt will provide one time cooked nutritional meal to students of classes I to VIII, studying in government and government-aided schools. It aims to cover 11.80 crore children in 11.20 lakh schools throughout the country.
In addition, around 2.4 million students in pre-primary sections or Balvatikas – started in several government schools last year with an aim to include children younger than six years in formal education – will also be covered under the scheme.
“We are committed to doing everything possible to fight the menace of malnutrition. Today’s Cabinet decision on PM-POSHAN is a crucial one, benefitting the youth of India,” the Prime Minister said in a tweet.
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According to the central government, a total budget of over Rs 1.3 lakh crore has been allocated for the continuation of the scheme for five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26. Of this, the central government will contribute Rs 54061.73 crore, while the state governments and union territory administrations will provide Rs 31,733.17 crore. The Centre will also bear an additional cost of about Rs 45,000 crore on food grains.
The ministry has also decided to encourage the concept of ‘TithiBhojan’. The government, through the scheme, also plans to encourage 'School Nutritional Gardens' in the premises of schools, to expose students to a first-hand experience of nature and gardening.
The government will make special provisions for supplementary nutrition items to children in aspirational and districts with a high prevalence of Anemia and cooking competitions are to be encouraged at all levels in schools. Farmers Producer Organizations and Women Self Help Groups will be involved in the implementation of the scheme under AatmaNirbhar Bharat, the ministry has said.
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