IN NEWS :
The Government of India has approved a 9.5% increase in material costs under the PM-POSHAN scheme, effective May 1, 2025, leading to an additional central outlay of ₹954 crore for FY 2025–26.
- PM-POSHAN Scheme:
Earlier known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, PM-POSHAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Education, aiming to serve hot cooked meals daily to 11.2 crore children in Balvatikas and Classes 1 to 8 across 10.36 lakh government and aided schools. - Objectives and Revised Rates: The scheme seeks to enhance children’s nutritional levels and boost school attendance and retention, especially for the underprivileged. The updated per student daily cost is now ₹6.78 for primary and ₹10.17 for upper primary students.
- Nutritional Guidelines and Inflation Monitoring:
Meals must include pulses, vegetables, and oil in set quantities, differing by class level. Inflation data for meal items is provided by the Labour Bureau based on the CPI-Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) from 600 villages across 20 States. - Mission POSHAN 2.0 and Funding:
POSHAN Abhiyan, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, was merged with the Supplementary Nutrition Programme in 2021 under Mission POSHAN 2.0. Funding follows a 60:40 split (Centre:States), 90:10 for NE and Himalayan States, and 100% central funding for UTs without legislatures.