Discover the comprehensive PM POSHAN Scheme, promoting nutrition in schools with features, eligibility criteria, and the crucial introduction of millets. No application process for universal implementation.

Overview

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), formerly known as the National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools, stands as a cornerstone among the rights-based Centrally Sponsored Schemes outlined in the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). Specifically designed to enhance the nutritional well-being of students in classes I-VIII within eligible schools, PM POSHAN prioritises the provision of nourishing meals.

Governed by stringent nutrition and food norms, this initiative gained significant momentum in September 2021 when the Union Cabinet greenlit it with a substantial financial allocation of ₹ 1.31 trillion. Notably, PM POSHAN replaced the Mid-day Meal Scheme, reflecting an evolution in approach and strategy. Envisaged for an initial span of five years (2021-22 to 2025-26), this scheme heralds a commitment to fostering a healthier future for the nation’s school-going children.

Nutrition Norms per Child per Day:

Level	Calorie	Portion (in grams)
Primary	450	20
Upper Primary	700	40

Food Norms per Child per Day:

Level	Food Grains (in grams)	Pulses (in grams)	Vegetables (in grams)	Oil & Fats (in grams)	Salts & Condiments
Primary	100	20	50	5	As per need
Upper Primary	150	30	75	7.5	As per need

Did You Know?

Lately, the central government has urged state governments and union territory administrations to consider incorporating millets into the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Scheme, particularly in districts where the consumption of millets aligns with cultural dietary practices. Additionally, NITI Aayog has been actively promoting the inclusion of millets in the mid-day meal program (now integrated into the PM POSHAN Scheme), advocating a shift away from the traditional use of rice and wheat.

Main Aspects of Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Scheme

The PM Poshan Scheme encompasses several key components aimed at ensuring the well-being of school children through nutritious meals.

1. Food Grains Distribution: The scheme provides food grains at the rate of 100 grams per child for primary and 150 grams for upper primary students per school day, following the NFSA rates of ₹1 per kg for coarse grains, ₹2 per kg for wheat, and ₹3 per kg for rice.
2. Cooking Cost: This includes the cost of ingredients such as pulses, vegetables, cooking oil, condiments, and fuel. The per-child per-day cooking cost is ₹4.97 for primary and ₹7.45 for upper primary, effective from April 1, 2020.
3. Honorarium to Cook-cum-Helpers: A monthly honorarium of ₹1000 for 10 months in a year is allocated.
4. Transportation Assistance: States receive assistance at PDS rates for transporting food grains from FCI godowns to school doorsteps, with a maximum limit of ₹1500 per MT, excluding NER, two Himalayan States, and two UTs.
5. Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation (MME): A 3% allocation of the aggregate cost covers food grains, cooking, honorarium, and transportation.
6. Provision during Summer Vacations: Special provision is made for providing meals during summer vacations in drought or disaster-affected areas.
7. Infrastructure Support: This includes the construction of kitchen-cum-stores based on plinth area norms and State Schedule of Rates, with additional space for increased student enrollment.
8. Kitchen Devices: The provision of kitchen devices is linked with school enrollment.
9. Repair of Kitchen-cum-Stores: An allocation of ₹10,000 per unit supports the repair of kitchen-cum-stores constructed a decade ago.
10. Fortification of Food Items: Food items are fortified systematically through the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
11. Innovation/Flexibility Component: Five percent of the total cost is allocated for innovation and flexibility, with no separate budgetary support, to be managed from available funds.
12. Meal Provision for Preparatory Classes: The scheme aligns with the National Education Policy, encompassing the provision of meals to preparatory classes or Balvatika in primary schools as covered in Samagra Shiksha.

Objectives of PM Poshan Scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM Poshan) Scheme is driven by a set of comprehensive objectives aimed at enhancing the overall well-being and development of school children across the nation.

1. Nutritional Improvement: A primary goal of the PM Poshan Scheme is to significantly enhance the nutritional status of children attending Government and Government-aided schools. By providing access to well-balanced and nourishing meals, the initiative strives to address and rectify nutritional deficiencies among eligible students.
2. Increased School Attendance: The scheme seeks to encourage consistent attendance among underprivileged children from disadvantaged sections of society. By offering nutritional support, PM Poshan aims to create an environment that fosters regular school attendance, enabling these children to actively participate in classroom activities and benefit from the educational opportunities provided.
3. Focus on Drought and Disaster-Affected Areas: Recognising the unique challenges faced by children in drought and disaster-affected regions, the PM Poshan Scheme extends nutritional support during summer vacations. This targeted intervention aims to ensure that children at the elementary stage receive essential nutrients even in adverse circumstances, promoting their health and well-being.

Features of PM Poshan Scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM Poshan) Scheme is characterised by a range of distinctive features aimed at the comprehensive and effective implementation for the benefit of school children.

1. Inclusive Coverage: The scheme ensures widespread coverage by catering to both primary (1-5) and upper primary (6-8) schoolchildren, providing 100 grams and 150 grams of food grains per working day, respectively, to guarantee a minimum of 700 calories. Additionally, it extends its coverage to balvatikas, encompassing children in the 3-5 age group attending pre-primary classes.
2. Nutritional Gardens Initiative: Encouraging self-sustainability, the scheme promotes the establishment of ‘school nutrition gardens,’ fostering the use of locally-grown nutritional food items. This not only supports local economic growth but also involves Farmers Producer Organisations (FPO) and Women Self Help Groups in the scheme’s implementation.
3. Supplementary Nutrition Provision: The scheme addresses the nutritional needs of children in aspirational districts and those with high anaemia prevalence through a provision for supplementary nutrition. Notably, the removal of restrictions allows states the flexibility to add components like milk or eggs to the menu without incurring additional costs from the Centre.
4. Tithi Bhojan Concept: Promoting community participation, the Tithi Bhojan program encourages people to provide special food to children on special occasions and festivals, fostering a sense of community and celebration.
5. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) System: To enhance efficiency and reduce leakages, the scheme adopts the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. This ensures that compensation for cooks and helpers is directly transferred, eliminating intermediaries and streamlining the process at the district administration level.
6. Nutrition Expert in Schools: Each school under the scheme appoints a dedicated nutrition expert. This expert plays a crucial role in addressing health aspects such as Body Mass Index (BMI), weight, and haemoglobin levels, ensuring the holistic well-being of the students.
7. Social Audit Mandate: The PM Poshan Scheme incorporates a social audit mandate for each school in every state, facilitating a comprehensive study of the scheme’s implementation. This feature aims to enhance transparency and accountability, ensuring that the intended benefits reach the targeted beneficiaries effectively.

Eligibility Criteria for Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman

The eligibility criteria require the applicant to hold Indian citizenship. Additionally, the applicant should be enrolled in a Primary or Upper Primary class (Class 1st to Class 8th) within a Government or Government-aided school.

What is the Need for Introducing Millets?

1. The introduction of millet is imperative in the context of prevailing challenges related to malnutrition and anaemia among children in India. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, the country continues to grapple with unacceptably high levels of stunting, with 35.5% of children below the age of five experiencing stunted growth in 2019-21. Additionally, 32.1% of these children were underweight during the same period.
2. The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) for 2021 highlights that India has made no significant progress in combating anaemia and childhood wasting. Shockingly, over 17% of Indian children under the age of 5 suffer from childhood wasting. NFHS 2019-21 data further reveals a notable spike in anaemia among children aged 6-59 months, increasing from 58.6% (NFHS-4, 2015-16) to 67.1% (NFHS-5).
3. In the larger context of human capital development, India’s ranking of 116 out of 174 countries on the Human Capital Index underscores the urgency to address nutritional deficiencies. Human capital, encompassing knowledge, skills, and health, is crucial for individuals to realise their full potential as productive members of society. Introducing millets emerges as a strategic measure to combat these pressing health challenges, offering a holistic approach to enhance the nutritional landscape and contribute to the overall well-being of the nation’s children.

PM Poshan Scheme: Benefits of Millets

1. Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Scheme – Millets, often referred to as nutri-cereals, including Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi, stand as nutritional powerhouses, offering a diverse range of health benefits. Rich in essential minerals, B-complex vitamins, proteins, and antioxidants, millets emerge as an optimal dietary choice for enhancing the nutritional well-being of children. These grains provide a holistic nutritional profile, contributing to overall health and growth.
2. The advantages of millets extend beyond individual nutrition, addressing multidimensional challenges such as nutrition security, food systems security, and the welfare of farmers. Their versatile nature makes them well-suited to combat diverse nutritional deficiencies, fostering a balanced diet and mitigating health issues prevalent among children.
3. Furthermore, millets exhibit unique features that render them resilient to India’s varied agro-climatic conditions, making them a sustainable crop choice. This adaptability ensures consistent production, contributing to both food security and the livelihoods of farmers.
4. Recognising the profound impact of millets, India spearheaded a resolution to declare 2024 as the International Year of Millets, a proposal embraced by the United Nations General Assembly. This global acknowledgment underscores the pivotal role millets play in fostering nutrition, sustainability, and agricultural resilience on a worldwide scale, marking a significant stride towards a healthier and more food-secure future.

PM Poshan Application Process (Offline)

No application process is required for participation in the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme. It is universally applicable to all children enrolled in Government and Government-aided schools.

Conclusion

The transformative Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme is a beacon of hope for the nutritional well-being of school children. Vakilsearch plays a crucial role in promoting this initiative, ensuring its widespread success. As we embrace the benefits of millets, Vakilsearch commitment to a healthier future aligns seamlessly with the scheme’s objectives. Together, we nurture a generation that thrives on nourishment and potential.

FAQs

What is the PM Poshan Scheme?

The PM Poshan Scheme, officially known as Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman, is a government initiative aimed at enhancing the nutritional well-being of students in classes I-VIII within eligible schools. It focuses on providing nourishing meals to school children, replacing the Mid-day Meal Scheme.

How does the PM Poshan Scheme address nutritional requirements?

The scheme provides food grains, pulses, vegetables, cooking oil, and other essentials based on prescribed norms. For example, primary students receive 100 grams of food grains per day, while upper primary students receive 150 grams. The scheme sets specific nutritional norms to ensure the well-being of the students.

What are the objectives of the PM Poshan Scheme?

The primary objectives include improving the nutritional status of school children, encouraging consistent attendance, focusing on drought and disaster-affected areas, and aligning with the National Education Policy by providing meals to preparatory classes. The scheme aims to foster a healthier future for the nation's youth.

How long is the PM Poshan Scheme envisioned to last?

The PM Poshan Scheme is envisaged for an initial span of five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26. This period reflects the government's commitment to addressing nutritional deficiencies and promoting the overall health of school-going children.

Is there any special provision for introducing millets in the PM Poshan Scheme?

Yes, the central government encourages the incorporation of millets into the scheme, especially in districts where millet consumption aligns with cultural dietary practices. The move is in line with promoting a shift away from traditional grains like rice and wheat, considering the nutritional benefits of millets.