Lok Sabha Question No. 5767 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Assessment of Implementation of PM-POSHAN Scheme
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Smt. Supriya Sule, Shri Sanjay Dina Patil, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO5767

ANSWERED ON- 30.03.2026

## Assessment of Implementation of PM-POSHAN Scheme

5767.   Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare:

Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe:

Shri Sanjay Dina Patil:

Smt. Supriya Sule:

Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh:

Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  State  or  district-wise  assessment  of  the implementation of the PM-POSHAN scheme in Maharashtra during the last three years and if so, the details of schools covered, number of beneficiaries along with the funds released and utilised, district-wise;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  examined  the  gap  between  enrolment  and  actual  meal uptake  in  Government  schools  under  the  said  scheme  in  Maharashtra  and  the  reasons  for absenteeism or irregular meal consumption among children;

(c)  whether  shortages  of  cooks,  helpers  and  delayed  honorarium  payments  to  kitchen  staff have  been  reported  in  the  said  State  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  address  these issues;

(d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  locally  sourced  millets,  eggs  or  regionspecific nutritious food items in school meals in Maharashtra to improve nutritional outcomes and if so, the details thereof; and

(e)  the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen  social  audits,  food safety inspections and grievance redressal mechanisms under the said scheme in the State?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (e):  Education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India and the majority of schools are under the administrative control of the respective State Government/Union Territory (UT) administration. The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (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 all children studying in Bal Vatika

(just  before  class-I)  and  classes  I  to  VIII  of  Government  and  Government-aided  schools.  The Scheme covers about 11 crore children in more than 10.35 lakh schools in all the States/UTs.

As per the extant guidelines of the PM Poshan Scheme, 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 States/ UTs. State Government of Maharashtra has reported that it had conducted social audits in 2% of total schools in the year 2021-22, 2022-23 and 5% of total schools in 202425. State has not conducted social audit in the year 2023-24 due to technical and administrative reasons. The number of schools covered under social audit is as follows:

| Number of schools covered under Social Audit   | Number of schools covered under Social Audit   | Number of schools covered under Social Audit   | Number of schools covered under Social Audit   |
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 2021-22                                        | 2022-23                                        | 2023-24                                        | 2024-25                                        |
| 2523                                           | 1802                                           | 0                                              | 4278                                           |

The district-wise number of children enrolled, fund released and utilized under the Scheme as reported by the State Government of Maharashtra is at Annexure .

The overall responsibility for smooth functioning of the Scheme including providing hot cooked and nutritious meal to the eligible children as well as engagement of Cook-cum-Helpers (CCHs) lies with the States/UTs. State Government of Maharashtra has reported that due to seasonal migration and domestic responsibilities, there is a gap between the total number of children enrolled and children taking mid-day meal. Further, the State has also reported that there is no shortage of CCHs nor any delay in payment of honorarium.

There is a provision of 5% of total recurring budget as the flexi component to be used by the States/UTs  for  setting  up  of  School  Nutrition  Gardens  (SNGs)  and  provision  of  supplementary nutrition interventions in identified districts. Many States/UTs provide additional supplementary nutrition interventions like egg, milk, chikki, fresh fruits, chicken, ragi malt etc. Further, it has been reported that millet nutritive bars are provided in 15 tribal districts (Aspirational) and eggs & banana in all the districts of Maharashtra.

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 are advised to adhere to these guidelines. 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 CCHs, tasting  of  meals  by  members  of  School  Management  Committee  including  at  least  one  teacher before  serving  the  hot  meal  to  children.  Further,  it  provides  for  testing  of  food  samples  by  the Government Food Research Laboratory or any laboratory accredited or recognized by law to ensure that the meals meet nutritional standards and quality. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is given responsibility for making available food grains of best available quality, meeting the parameters of Fair Average Quality (FAQ). The guidelines, inter-alia, provides for training of CCHs on nutrition, cooking processes, health and hygiene, preparation of raw grains and vegetables, recipes, serving skills  etc.  States/  UTs  provide  training  to  CCHs  in  collaboration  with  the  Institutes  of  Hotel Management, Food Craft Institutes, FSSAI, State Universities etc.

*****

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (E)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  5767  FOR  30.03.2026  RAISED  BY  SHRI  BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE, DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE, SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL, SMT. SUPRIYA SULE, SHRI MOHITE PATIL DHAIRYASHEEL RAJSINH AND PROF. VARSHA  EKNATH  GAIKWAD,  HON'BLE  MPs  REGARDING  ASSESSMENT  OF IMPLEMENTATION OF PM-POSHAN SCHEME.

## Children enrolled and Fund Utilised under the PM POSHAN Scheme in Maharashtra

| Sr. No   | District Name   | 2023-24           | 2023-24                    | 2024-25           | 2024-25                    | 2025-26 (upto feb 2026)   | 2025-26 (upto feb 2026)    |
|----------|-----------------|-------------------|----------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------|
| Sr. No   | District Name   | Children enrolled | Fund Utilised (Rs in lakh) | Children enrolled | Fund Utilised (Rs in lakh) | Children enrolled         | Fund Utilised (Rs in lakh) |
| 1        | Ahmadnagar      | 479301            | 7557.42                    | 470731            | 7829.02                    | 446650                    | 7246.09                    |
| 2        | Akola           | 154919            | 2557.28                    | 146349            | 2824.16                    | 161595                    | 1994.14                    |
| 3        | Amravati        | 244859            | 3819.97                    | 236289            | 3932.11                    | 278975                    | 2967.48                    |
| 4        | Aurangabad      | 467505            | 7011.40                    | 458935            | 7262.70                    | 465892                    | 4641.69                    |
| 5        | Bhandara        | 349156            | 5666.93                    | 340586            | 5634.80                    | 323716                    | 5610.98                    |
| 6        | Bid             | 107236            | 1894.14                    | 98666             | 1761.00                    | 103615                    | 1757.04                    |
| 7        | Buldana         | 272583            | 4565.99                    | 264013            | 4348.61                    | 250787                    | 3555.44                    |
| 8        | Chandrapur      | 172831            | 2752.38                    | 164261            | 2990.94                    | 158342                    | 2119.66                    |
| 9        | Dhule           | 257337            | 3454.42                    | 248767            | 4007.46                    | 234397                    | 3540.58                    |
| 10       | Gadchiroli      | 94688             | 1831.52                    | 86118             | 1901.52                    | 90475                     | 1314.00                    |
| 11       | Gondiya         | 111469            | 1930.62                    | 102899            | 2128.38                    | 108043                    | 2161.75                    |
| 12       | Hingoli         | 144998            | 2046.74                    | 136428            | 1266.43                    | 126253                    | 2499.69                    |
| 13       | Jalgaon         | 466361            | 6382.92                    | 457791            | 7039.94                    | 454078                    | 6966.42                    |
| 14       | Jalna           | 239918            | 3728.68                    | 231348            | 4288.52                    | 209950                    | 2799.12                    |
| 15       | Kolhapur        | 373295            | 6213.22                    | 364725            | 5413.67                    | 355263                    | 5508.58                    |
| 16       | Latur           | 290496            | 4086.51                    | 281926            | 4637.44                    | 280579                    | 3306.60                    |
| 17       | Mumbai          | 571020            | 9975.20                    | 562450            | 5946.50                    | 533267                    | 7244.75                    |
| 18       | Nagpur          | 308279            | 5170.56                    | 299709            | 4638.20                    | 286574                    | 3413.64                    |
| 19       | Nanded          | 406038            | 5352.50                    | 397468            | 5530.70                    | 384461                    | 4675.55                    |
| 20       | Nandurbar       | 183832            | 2888.41                    | 175262            | 3059.49                    | 178190                    | 4240.43                    |
| 21       | Nashik          | 667565            | 9226.79                    | 658995            | 11329.00                   | 647759                    | 9528.88                    |
| 22       | Osmanabad       | 178274            | 2956.48                    | 169704            | 3008.60                    | 177847                    | 2702.75                    |
| 23       | Palghar         | 239500            | 3801.23                    | 230930            | 3810.25                    | 240574                    | 3790.93                    |
| 24       | Parbhani        | 239709            | 3127.94                    | 231139            | 4072.63                    | 223488                    | 3525.83                    |
| 25       | Pune            | 740808            | 11822.47                   | 732238            | 10649.11                   | 738154                    | 7425.08                    |
| 26       | Raigarh         | 184094            | 3404.10                    | 175524            | 3161.00                    | 177034                    | 2770.43                    |
| 27       | Ratnagiri       | 119750            | 2700.78                    | 111180            | 1908.05                    | 106500                    | 2277.79                    |
| 28       | Sangli          | 267965            | 4943.24                    | 259395            | 4836.35                    | 267269                    | 4168.86                    |
| 29       | Satara          | 255509            | 4396.68                    | 246939            | 4780.26                    | 242140                    | 2652.55                    |
| 30       | Sindhudurg      | 55726             | 984.94                     | 47156             | 1338.67                    | 53687                     | 1111.84                    |
| 31       | Solapur         | 494962            | 8008.73                    | 486392            | 7491.49                    | 468757                    | 4163.95                    |
| 32       | Thane           | 462261            | 6485.87                    | 453691            | 5497.01                    | 433619                    | 5759.50                    |
| 33       | Wardha          | 91626             | 1252.98                    | 83056             | 1792.14                    | 81395                     | 1352.11                    |
| 34       | Washim          | 136961            | 2371.96                    | 128391            | 1933.73                    | 112205                    | 1131.67                    |
| 35       | Yavatmal        | 269347            | 4536.53                    | 260777            | 4636.19                    | 250070                    | 3586.28                    |
|          | Total           | 10100178          | 158907.52                  | 9800228           | 156686.08                  | 9651600                   | 133512.08                  |