Lok Sabha Question No. 949 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Budget allocation to PM POSHAN  Scheme
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Thiru Dr. S Jagathratchakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 949 ANSWERED ON- 10/02/2025

## Budget allocation to PM POSHAN Scheme

## 949.  Shri S Jagathratchakan:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the budget allocated for the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme has been declined/stagnant during the last five years;
- (b) if so, the details of the rationale behind maintaining this stagnant budget allocation despite high rates of child wasting, stunting, and undernourishment in the country;
- (c) whether any assessment has been conducted by the Government to evaluate the sufficiency of current funding levels in meeting the scheme's objectives;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  of  additional  measures, planned  to strengthen the scheme in light of its critical role in addressing child malnutrition; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to increase budget allocation in future fiscal  years to ensure alignment with inflation and rising demand, if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (e): There has been an increase in the budget of Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN)  Scheme.  PM  POSHAN  is  one  of  the  foremost  rights  based  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to all children studying in Balvatika (just before class-I) and classes I to VIII of Government and Government-aided schools. The overall responsibility for providing meal to the eligible  children  lies  with  the  State  Governments  and  Union  Territory  Administrations  in accordance with the Guidelines laid down by the Central Government. Central Government has approved implementation of PM POSHAN Scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with the financial outlay of Rs. 85794.9 crore comprising of Rs. 54061.73 crore from the Central Government and Rs. 31733.17 crore from State Govt. & UT Administrations. During last five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, there is an increase of 13.34% in budget allocation under PM POSHAN Scheme. The year-wise BE during the last five years for the PM POSHAN Scheme is as under:

## (Rs. in Crore)

| Year    |   Budget Estimates (PM POSHAN Scheme) |
|---------|---------------------------------------|
| 2020-21 |                               11000   |
| 2021-22 |                               11500   |
| 2022-23 |                               10233.8 |
| 2023-24 |                               11600   |
| 2024-25 |                               12467.4 |

Though PM POSHAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the Central Government provides 100% assistance  for  cost  of  foodgrains  including  transportation  cost.  The  State  Governments  and  UT Administrations  prepare  comprehensive  Annual  Work  Plan  and  Budget  (AWP&B),  inter-alia, with detailed district-wise vital information on coverage of children, working days and schools; enrolment  in  schools;  utilisation  of  foodgrains,  utilisation  of  cooking  cost,  transportation  cost, Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (MME), payment of honorarium to Cook-cum-Helper, construction  of  kitchen-cum-stores,  procurement  of  kitchen  devices  etc. To  address  child malnutrition, the nutrition and food norms under the scheme are as under:

| S. No.   | Items                            | Primary &Balvatika               | Upper Primary                    |
|----------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| A)       | Nutrition norm per child per day | Nutrition norm per child per day | Nutrition norm per child per day |
| 1.       | Calorie                          | 450                              | 700                              |
| 2.       | Protein                          | 12 gms                           | 20 gms                           |
| B)       | Food norms per child per day     | Food norms per child per day     | Food norms per child per day     |
| 1.       | Food grains                      | 100 gms                          | 150 gms                          |
| 2.       | Pulses                           | 20 gms                           | 30 gms                           |
| 3.       | Vegetables                       | 50 gms                           | 75 gms                           |
| 4.       | Oil &fat                         | 5 gms                            | 7.5 gms                          |
| 5.       | Salt &condiments                 | As per need                      | As per need                      |

The meal is prepared of fortified rice (Iron, folic acid and Vitamin), double fortified salt (Iron & Iodine) and fortified oil (Vitamin A & D) .

Many initiatives  have  been  taken  by  this  Ministry  to  strengthen  the  Scheme.  Under  flexibility component, some States and UTs are also providing additional food items viz., eggs, fruits, milk, ragi malt and chikki etc. The States and UTs fix their menu as per their local needs, in order to meet the prescribed nutritional content. Shree Anna (Millets) are super grains, a great source of several  vitamins  and  minerals,  including  phosphorus,  magnesium  which  enhances  nutrient delivery. Advisories have been issued to States and UTs for inclusion of  Shree Anna at least once a week in the menu. The material cost under PM POSHAN Scheme is increased periodically to factor in inflation in the cost of ingredients e.g. pulses, vegetables, cooking oil, other condiments and fuel. The existing rates of material cost have been revised based on Consumer Price IndexRural  Labourers  (CPI-RL)  index  by  13.70%  to  Rs.  6.19  per  child  per  day  for  Bal  Vatika  & Primary Classes and Rs. 9.29 per child per day for Upper Primary Classes w.e.f. 1 st   December, 2024.  It will help the schools to provide all the nutrients as prescribed to students and improve quality of food and also health of students.

The Government of India has issued detailed guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene to ensure serving of good quality nutritious meal under the Scheme.  All the States/ UTs were advised to adhere to these Guidelines. These guidelines are available on official website https://pmposhan.education.gov.in.  The  guidelines  of  the  PM  POSHAN  Scheme,  interalia,  provides  for  instructions  to  schools  to  procure  Agmark  quality  and  branded  items  for preparation  of  meals,  training  to  Cook-cum-Helpers,  tasting  of  meals  by  members  of  School Management Committee including at least one teacher before serving the hot meal to children. In addition,  the  States  and  UTs  are  advised  to  do  testing  of  meals  through  NABL  accredited laboratories.

Section 28 of National Food Security Act, 2013 inter-alia envisages that every local authority, or any  other  authority  or  body,  as  may  be  authorized  by  the  State  Government,  shall  conduct  or cause  to  be  conducted,  periodic  social  audits  on  the  functioning  of  the  scheme  and  cause  to publicize its findings and take necessary action, in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Government. The States/UTs are required to conduct Social Audit in all districts in at least 20 schools or 2% of the schools, whichever is higher for each district. The responsibility for taking action  and  ensuring  compliance  on  the  Social  Audit  findings  rests  with  the  State/UT  Nodal Department implementing the PM POSHAN Scheme.

Tithi  Bhojan is  a  community participation  programme in which people  provide special food to children on special occasions/festivals in addition to regular meal. During the FY 2024-25 (upto 31 st January  2025)  about  4.58  crore  students  in  4.85  lakhs  Government  and  Government-aided Schools across the entire country benefitted with Tithi Bhojan.

Development of School Nutrition Gardens in schools is being promoted under the Scheme to give children first hand experience with nature and gardening. In 6.96 lakh schools, SNGs have been set up across the country. It is helping students to understand nutrition and health.

Health check-ups of the students is carried out by the States & UTs under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). Iron & Folic Acid (IFA) tablets are given under Anaemia Mukta Bharat and deworming  medicines  are  given  under  National  Deworming  Day  (NDD)  to  students  for  better health and good learning outcomes.

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