PM Poshan scheme gets Centre nod, to subsume mid-day meal programme in schools
The PM Poshan scheme has been approved for more than 11.2 lakh government and government-aided schools and it will subsume the existing mid-day meal programme.
The Centre on Wednesday approved the PM Poshan scheme for the next five years to ensure holistic nutrition for students of more than 11.2 lakh government and government-aided schools across India. The Poshan (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) scheme will also subsume the essential mid-day meal programme which already exists in schools run by Centre and state governments, announced Union minister Anurag Thakur.
“Union Cabinet gives nod to start PM Poshan scheme to provide mid-day meals to students of more than 11.2 lakh Govt and Govt-aided schools across the country. The scheme will run for 5 years & ₹1.31 lakh crores will be spent,” the minister said.
The Centre's mission aims to eradicate malnutrition among children in India by 2022. Multiple ministries will converge with an objective to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low-birth-weight babies.
Over the past one year, the government has invested more than ₹24,400 crore in the scheme, including about ₹11,500 crore on food grains.
The scheme will also be extended to students studying in pre-primary or Balvatikas in Government and Government-aided primary schools in addition to all the 11.80 crore children from elementary classes.
The concept of Tithi Bhojan -- a community participation programme in which people bring delicacies for children on special occasions and festivals -- will be encouraged extensively. Additionally, the government has also been promoting concept of ‘School Nutrition Gardens’ in more than 3 lakh schools to give children first-hand experience with nature and gardening.