Lok Sabha Question No. 2951 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Objectives of PM POSHAN Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Achyutananda Samanta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2951

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2023

## OBJECTIVES OF PM POSHAN SCHEME

## 2951.   SHRI ACHYUTANANDA SAMANTA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- a. whether the Government has been able to achieve the objectives of PM POSHAN in Odisha, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- b. the number of Anganwadi Centres in Odisha wherein PM POSHAN scheme is being implemented; and
- c. whether the Ministry has conducted any study on the results of this scheme in Odisha, if so, the details and outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a  to  c)  The  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of ' Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) ' for  providing  one  hot  cooked  meal  in  Government  and  Government -aided Schools is being implemented by the Ministry of Education across the country from 2021-22 to  2025-26.  Under  the  Scheme,  there  is  provision  of  hot  cooked  meal  to  children  of  preschools or Bal Vatika (before class I) in Government and Government-aided primary schools in addition to the children of classes I to VIII studying in schools.

The  children  enrolled  at  the  Anganwadi  centers  are  covered  under  the  supplementary nutrition program under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. As on 28 th February,  2023,  a  total  of  74,153 Anganwadi Centers have been registered on Poshan Tracker in the State of Odisha.

As  per  information  provided  by  Ministry  of  Education,  the  main  objectives  of  the  PM POSHAN Scheme are to address two of the pressing problems for majority of children in India,  viz.  hunger  and  education  by  improving  the  nutritional  status  of  eligible  children  in Government and Government-aided schools as well as encouraging poor children belonging to  disadvantaged  sections  to  attend  school  more  regularly  and  help  them  concentrate  on classroom activities.

Ministry of Education has informed that NITI AAYOG has conducted an evaluation of the Scheme  through  independent  third-party  agency  in  2019-20.  An  evaluation  under  the leadership of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) was also conducted in 2017-18.  Both the studies  have  been  done  across  the  country.  The  major  findings  of  both  the  studies  are  as under:

-  Nutritional level among students availing meals in schools is reported to have improved as attributed by Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016-2018).
-  92% of the students attending schools were availing school meals.
-  More than 80% parents stated school meal increased the enrollment & attendance, improved nutritional and health status of their children.
-  96% teachers mentioned that school meals improved the nutritional status of the school children.
-  92% teachers stated that school meals increased enrollment & improved attendance.

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