Latest news with #PMPOSHANScheme
Hans India
22-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
PM POSHAN Scheme covers about 11 cr kids in over 10.35 lakh schools: Centre
New Delhi:The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme, earlier known as the mid-day meal scheme, covers about 11 crore children in more than 10.35 lakh schools across India, said Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament on Monday. PM POSHAN scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to all children studying in Bal Vatika (just before class I) and classes I to VIII of government and government-aided schools. It aims to provide nutritional support and enhance the school participation of students. 'The scheme serves 29,22,160 students studying in Balvatika; 6,58,16,610 students in classes I to V; and 4,12,07,772 students in classes VI-VIII,' said Pradhan, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. 'The Budget Estimates of the Scheme are about Rs 12,500 crore, and 100 per cent foodgrains to the tune of 26 lakh MTs at an approximate cost of Rs 9,000 crore have been supplied by the Government of India through Food Corporation of India (FCI),' he added. In addition, the Centre in April announced enhancing the 'Material Cost' of the PM POSHAN Scheme by 9.50 per cent. Under the new rates, applicable across all the states/UTs from May 1, the Central government bears the additional cost of approximately Rs 954 crore in FY26. Further, Pradhan also informed that more than 24 lakh Cook-cum-Helpers (CCHs) are engaged under the Scheme. Of these, over 90 per cent are women. 'Under the Scheme, 9.11 lakh (97 per cent) Kitchen-cum-Stores (KCS) have been constructed against the sanctioned 9.41 lakh KCS all over India,' the Union Minister said. The Scheme also grants a provision of 5 per cent of the total recurring budget as the flexi component to be used by the States/UTs as per their requirement. It may be used for setting up School Nutrition Gardens and provision of Supplementary Nutrition interventions viz., chikki, eggs, milk, fruits, and additional food items, etc., in identified districts.
Hans India
21-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
PM POSHAN Scheme covers about 11 cr children in over 10.35 lakh schools: Centre
New Delhi: The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme, earlier known as the mid-day meal scheme, covers about 11 crore children in more than 10.35 lakh schools across India, said Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament on Monday. PM POSHAN scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to all children studying in Bal Vatika (just before class I) and classes I to VIII of government and government-aided schools. It aims to provide nutritional support and enhance the school participation of students. 'The scheme serves 29,22,160 students studying in Balvatika; 6,58,16,610 students in classes I to V; and 4,12,07,772 students in classes VI-VIII,' said Pradhan, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. 'The Budget Estimates of the Scheme are about Rs 12,500 crore, and 100 per cent foodgrains to the tune of 26 lakh MTs at an approximate cost of Rs 9,000 crore have been supplied by the Government of India through Food Corporation of India (FCI),' he added. In addition, the Centre in April announced enhancing the 'Material Cost' of the PM POSHAN Scheme by 9.50 per cent. Under the new rates, applicable across all the states/UTs from May 1, the Central government bears the additional cost of approximately Rs 954 crore in FY26. Further, Pradhan also informed that more than 24 lakh Cook-cum-Helpers (CCHs) are engaged under the Scheme. Of these, over 90 per cent are women. "Under the Scheme, 9.11 lakh (97 per cent) Kitchen-cum-Stores (KCS) have been constructed against the sanctioned 9.41 lakh KCS all over India," the Union Minister said. The Scheme also grants a provision of 5 per cent of the total recurring budget as the flexi component to be used by the States/UTs as per their requirement. It may be used for setting up School Nutrition Gardens and provision of Supplementary Nutrition interventions viz., chikki, eggs, milk, fruits, and additional food items, etc., in identified districts. Pradhan noted that more than 6.28 lakh schools have set up School Nutrition Gardens.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Hike in rates for midday meals in schools may improve what's on the plate, say teachers
Pune: Teachers have said that the central govt's decision to increase the money for procuring material for PM POSHAN Scheme (midday meals) in schools is beneficial. There was much hue and cry that the per-student cost of the meal provided was less and it was affecting the quality of food. Self-help groups complained that the rates provided by the govt were not enough to match the huge increase in the prices of fuel and cooking oil. The revised rate per student has been fixed at Rs 6.78 (an increase of Rs 1.81) for Std I to V, and Rs 10.17 (an increase of Rs 2.72) for Std VI to VIII. "Earlier, in smaller schools where just one person cooks the food and we keep the cooking material in the kitchen shed, we had to pay from our pockets to provide for oil and spices. But the revised rate, effective from this academic year, will improve the quality of food provided to students," Vijay Kombe, state president of Maharashtra State Primary Teachers' Association, said. Mahendra Ganpule, spokesperson for Maharashtra School Principals' Federation, said that the rates should be increased when food prices go up so that the quality of food given to students by centralized kitchens or self-help groups is not affected. The central govt notification said that they enhanced the material cost by 9.5% on the basis of the inflation index provided by the labour bureau. The PM POSHAN Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme under which one hot cooked meal is served to 11.20 crore students in Balvatika and Std I to VIII, in 10.36 lakh government and government-aided schools on all school days. What Do Students Get? Under the PM POSHAN Scheme, 'material cost' is provided for the procurement of ingredients Ingredients per student per meal quantity Bal Vatika & Primary I Pulses 20g, Vegetables 50g, Oil 5g Upper Primary: Pulses 30g, Vegetables 75g, Oil 7.5g (Spices & condiments and fuel as per need) Enhanced Cost Bal Vatika and Primary I Rs 6.78 Upper Primary I Enhanced cost Rs 10.17
