Lok Sabha Question No. 2290 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-09
Subject: Honorarium of Assistant Cooks of PM-POSHAN Scheme
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2290 ANSWERED ON 09.12.2024

## Honorarium of Assistant Cooks of PM-POSHAN Scheme

## 2290. Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the PM-POSHAN aims to enhance children's enrolment and nutrition but faces challenges due to stagnant Government funding;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  State  of  Karnataka  has  increased contributions for assistant cooks from Rs. 400 to Rs.3,600 while the contribution of Government remains Rs. 600;
- (c) whether the Government has any plans to enhance its contribution to States;
- (d) the reason for not enhancing the central share of honorarium for MDM workers;
- (e) whether there are any plans of the Government to revise the central share for preparation of good food and fair wages for workers under PM-POSHAN; and
- (f) the measures being taken by the Government to ensure timely financial support for implementation of PM-POSHAN?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a): PM POSHAN Scheme 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 children studying in Balvatika (pre-primary class) and classes I to VIII of Government and Government-aided schools on all school working days. The National Food Security Act, 2013, Rules, Guidelines and Instructions issued under the PM POSHAN Scheme from time to time, provides that every child attending an eligible institution is to be covered under  the  Scheme  and  shall  be  served  hot  cooked  nutritious  meal  or  provided  with  Food Security  Allowance,  as  applicable,  on  all  school  days.  The  funds  are  released  as  Central Assistance  to  cover  children  attending  the  school  on  all  working  days.  Every  year  the

Government of India has enhanced the Budget Estimate (BE) to this Scheme. The BE for FY 2024-25 is Rs. 12467.39 crore. Though, PM POSHAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the Central Government provides 100% cost of Foodgrains including subsidy of approx. Rs. 9000 crore per annum through Department of Food & Public Distribution, 100% transportation cost of  foodgrains  from  FCI  depot  to  schools  and  100%  funds  for  Management  Monitoring  and Evaluation  (MME).  Overall,  Govt.  of  India  provides  more  than  Rs  21000  crore  under  PM POSHAN Scheme.

(b)  to  (f):    The  overall  responsibility  for  smooth  functioning  of  the  scheme  including engagement  of  Cook-cum-Helpers  (CCHs)  lies  with  the  State  Governments  and  Union Territory  Administrations.  These  CCHs  are  honorary  workers  who  have  come  forward  for rendering  social  services.  As  per  guidelines  of  the  Scheme,  honorarium  of  Rs.  1000/-  per month for 10 months in a year is prescribed for these CCHs in recognition of their services and the same is continued. The honorarium expenditure is shared between the Central Government and States  and  UTs  as  per  the  approved  sharing  pattern.  However,  States  /  UTs  are  free  to provide additional  funds.  Many State Governments and UT Administrations including State Government of Karnataka are providing additional funds to Cook-cum-Helpers from their own resources. The details of monthly honorarium of CCHs under the PM POSHAN Scheme are given at Annexure .

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, material 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.  The  Government  of  India  has  issued  detailed  guidelines  on  quality,  safety  and hygiene to ensure serving of good quality meal under the Scheme to all the States/UTs. These guidelines are available on official website https://pmposhan.education.gov.in. These guidelines,  inter-alia,  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.

Under  the  Scheme,  the  Programme  Approval  Board  (PAB)  -  PM  POSHAN  approves  the Annual Work Plan & Budget (AWP&B) submitted by States/UTs. The Central Assistance is released  on  the  basis  of  approval  of  PAB-PM  POSHAN  and  subject  to  compliance  of instructions issued from time to time by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. There is no delay in release of funds (Central share) to States / UTs. As and when States / UTs submits proposals as per guidelines for installments the central funds are released. However, in some cases, release of funds takes time due to late submission of proposals by the States/UTs and incomplete compliance of formalities required for release such as huge unspent balance available with them, delay in transfer of both Central and State share by the State treasury to SNA, slow pace of expenditure by States/UTs.

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (f) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2290 for 09.12.2024 asked by Hon'ble MP Shri Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun, regarding 'Honorarium of Assistant Cooks of PMPOSHAN Scheme'.

## Honorarium to Cook-cum-Helpers by States and UTs

|   Sl. No. | States/UTs        | Cooks-cum-Helpers Honorarium Per Month (in Rs)   | Additional Honorarium per month to Cook-cum-Helpers (in Rs)   |
|-----------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Andhra Pradesh    | 3000                                             | 2000                                                          |
|         2 | Arunachal Pradesh | 2000                                             | 1000                                                          |
|         3 | Assam             | 1500                                             | 500                                                           |
|         4 | Bihar             | 1650                                             | 650                                                           |
|         5 | Chhattisgarh      | 2000                                             | 1000                                                          |
|         6 | Goa               | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|         7 | Gujarat           | 3000                                             | 2000                                                          |
|         8 | Haryana           | 7000                                             | 6000                                                          |
|         9 | Himachal Pradesh  | 3500                                             | 2500                                                          |
|        10 | Jharkhand         | 2000                                             | 1000                                                          |
|        11 | Karnataka         | 3700                                             | 2700                                                          |
|        12 | Kerala            | 12000                                            | 11000                                                         |
|        13 | Madhya Pradesh    | 4000                                             | 3000                                                          |
|        14 | Maharashtra       | 2500                                             | 1500                                                          |
|        15 | Manipur           | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        16 | Meghalaya         | 2000                                             | 1000                                                          |
|        17 | Mizoram           | 1500                                             | 500                                                           |
|        18 | Nagaland          | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        19 | Odisha            | 2000                                             | 1000                                                          |
|        20 | Punjab            | 3000                                             | 2000                                                          |
|        21 | Rajasthan         | 2003                                             | 1003                                                          |
|        22 | Sikkim            | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        23 | Tamil Nadu        | 4100-12500                                       | 3100-11500                                                    |
|        24 | Telangana         | 3000                                             | 2000                                                          |
|        25 | Tripura           | 2500                                             | 1500                                                          |
|        26 | Uttar Pradesh     | 2000                                             | 1000                                                          |
|        27 | Uttarakhand       | 3000                                             | 2000                                                          |
|        28 | West Bengal       | 1500                                             | 500                                                           |
|        29 | A&N Islands       | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        30 | Chandigarh        | 4500                                             | 3500                                                          |
|        31 | D&N and D &Diu    | 5544                                             | 4544                                                          |
|        32 | Delhi             | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        33 | Jammu &Kashmir    | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        34 | Ladakh            | 1000                                             | 0                                                             |
|        35 | Lakshadweep       | 18000-20200                                      | 18000-20200                                                   |
|        36 | Puducherry        | 10000                                            | 9000                                                          |