Why in News?
Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of
‘National Scheme for PM POSHAN in Schools’ for the five-year period 2021-22 to
2025-26.
- The financial outlay of ₹ 54061.73 crores from the Central
Government and ₹ 31,733.17 crore from State Governments & UT
administrations. - Central Government will also bear additional cost of about ₹
45,000 crore on foodgrains. Therefore, the total scheme budget will amount to ₹
1,30,794.90 crore. - Covered: 11.80 crore children studying in 11.20 lakh schools
across the country.
Major Points:
PM Poshan:
Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
- The PM POSHAN Scheme for providing one hot cooked meal in
Government and Government-aided schools from 2021-22 to 2025-26. - This is a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme which covers all school
children studying in Classes 1-8 of Government, Government-Aided Schools. - The earlier name of the scheme was ‘National Scheme for Mid-Day
Meal in Schools’ popularly known as Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
Pre-Primary & Primary Schools:
The scheme is proposed to be extended to students studying
in pre-primary or Bal Vatikas of Government and Government-aided primary
schools in addition to all the 11.80 crore children from elementary classes.
TithiBhojan:
- The concept of TithiBhojan will be encouraged extensively.
- TithiBhojan is a community participation programme in which
people provide special food to children on special occasions/festivals.
Nutrition for Children:
- Government is promoting development of School Nutrition
Gardens in schools to give children first-hand experience with nature and
gardening. - The harvest of these gardens is used in the scheme providing
additional micro nutrients. - School Nutrition Gardens have already been developed in more
than 3 lakh schools.
Social Audit:
- Social Audit of the scheme is made mandatory in all the districts.
- Social audit is not only an audit of expenses or decisions but also covers the issues of equity and quality in programme implementation.
- The people and the Government jointly monitor the project.
Nutrition for Aspirational District:
Special provision is made for providing supplementary
nutrition items to children in aspirational districts and districts with high
prevalence of Anemia.
Cooking Competitions:
Cooking competitions will be encouraged at all levels right
from village level to national level to promote ethnic cuisine and innovative
menus based on locally available ingredients and vegetables.
Vocal for Local for Atmanirbhar Bharat:
Involvement of Farmers Producer Organizations (FPO) and
Women Self Help Groups in implementation of the scheme will be encouraged.
Use of locally grown traditional food items for a fillip to
local economic growth will be encouraged.
Monitoring:
Field visits for progress monitoring and inspections will be
facilitated for students of eminent Universities / Institutions and also
trainee teachers of Regional Institutes of Educations (RIE) and District
Institutes of Education and Training (DIET).
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT):
The proposal to provide monetary assistance to 11.8 Crore
students (118 Million Students) through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of the
cooking cost component of the Mid-Day-Meal Scheme, to all eligible children, as
a special welfare measure.
About Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
- Mid Day Meal in schools has had a long history in India. In 1925, a Mid Day Meal Programme was introduced for disadvantaged children in Madras Municipal Corporation.
- The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th August 1995.
- The Mid-day Meal Scheme (under the Ministry of Education) is
a centrally sponsored scheme which was launched in 1995. - It is considered as the world’s largest school meal
programme. - It aimed to attain the goal of universalization of primary
education. - Provides cooked meals to every child within the age group of
6 to 14 years studying in classes 1 to 8 who enrolls and attends the school.
Also Read: Atmanirbhar Bharat
Source: PIB