Context:
The Centre has announced that it will bear the additional cost of â‚ą425.62 crore on account of inflation in food material cost under the Centrally sponsored PM POSHAN Scheme in the financial year 2024-25.
Highlights:
- The Centre also provides about 26 lakh tonnes of foodgrains through the Food Corporation of India for which it bears 100% cost, including subsidy of approximately â‚ą9,000 crore a year and 100% transportation cost from FCI depots to schools.
PM POSHAN
- Ministry: Ministry of Education
- Previous Name:
- National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in schools.
- September 2021:
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme was renamed as Pradhan Mantri POSHAN Scheme.
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
- Coverage: one hot cooked meal is being served to students studying in Balvatika and classes I to VIII, in Government and Government-aided schools on all school-days.
- Aims and Objectives:
- To promote healthy eating among children and to motivate them to attend school regularly.
- This scheme addresses, nurturing. Secondary to this, it solves the two most important issues for the majority of children in India, hunger and education.
- Improving the nutritional status of eligible children in Government and Government To improve the eligibility of Government and Government Aided schools with Beneficiaries in the categories of nutrition.
- Nutritional support to elementary children in drought-affected or disaster-hit areas during summer vacation.
