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Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (… — Govt Scheme for UPSC | Vaidra
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Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN)

Ministry of EducationactiveeducationLaunched: 1995-08-15

About the Scheme

PM POSHAN (formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme) provides hot cooked meals to school children in Classes 1-8 in government and government-aided schools. Renamed as PM Poshan Shakti Nirman in 2021. Covers 11.80 crore children in 11.20 lakh schools. One of the world's largest school feeding programmes. Budget FY2025-26: ₹12,500 crore.

Target Beneficiaries: 11.80 crore children in Classes 1-8; 11.20 lakh government/government-aided schools

Implementing Agency: Ministry of Education (Nodal Ministry), State Governments and UT Administrations

Official Website →

✦Key Features

  • Free hot cooked meal to 11.80 crore children in 11.20 lakh schools — world's largest school feeding programme
  • Covers Classes 1-8; extended to Bal Vatika (pre-primary) in pilot schools
  • Menu: locally sourced, nutritionally balanced; fortified rice mandatory from 2021
  • Nutri-gardens (school gardens) promoted for fresh vegetables and fruits
  • Social audit mandatory; community participation through village education committees
  • Reduces school dropout rate; improves attendance (especially girls)
  • Budget FY2025-26: ₹12,500 crore; 60:40 Centre-State (90:10 for NE/hilly states)

✓Eligibility Criteria

  • Students enrolled in government and government-aided schools.
  • Children attending local body schools, EGS & AIE centers.
  • Students in Madarsas and Maqtabs supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
  • Covers children studying in classes I to VIII.

★Benefits

  • Improved nutritional levels among school-going children.
  • Increased school enrollment, attendance, and retention rates.
  • Reduced dropout rates, especially among vulnerable groups.
  • Better learning outcomes due to reduced hunger and improved concentration.
  • Promotion of social equity and national integration.

▶Application Process

  • Enrollment in an eligible government or government-aided school.
  • Automatic inclusion of all enrolled students in the scheme.
  • No separate application form is required by parents or students.
  • The school administration manages the implementation and distribution of meals.

₹ Budget Allocation

12500

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): 60:40 (General States), 90:10 (NE/Himalayan States), 100% (UTs without legislature)

Exam Relevance

GS Paper: GS2

Prelims Relevance8%
Mains Relevance8%

Syllabus Tags

EducationNutritionChild DevelopmentSchool FeedingGS2

Historical Context

Originates from the 1925 Madras Corporation program; launched nationally in 1995 as the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education. Renamed PM POSHAN in Sept 2021 with an expanded scope.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Children in private un-aided schools
  • Children above Class 8 (except in special cases/drought-affected areas)

Sub-Schemes

Tithi Bhojan

Community-led voluntary meal sharing on special occasions.

School Nutrition Gardens

Developing vegetable patches in schools to provide fresh produce.

Challenges

  • Leakages in the supply chain and poor quality of grains
  • Inadequate hygiene standards in school kitchens
  • Variation in nutritional standards across different states
  • Delay in payment of honorarium to cook-cum-helpers

Reforms & Recommendations

  • Introduction of fortified rice and milk to tackle micronutrient deficiencies
  • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for cook-cum-helper honorariums to reduce leakages
  • Use of bio-gas plants in schools for eco-friendly cooking

Performance Statistics

Metric

11.8 Crore

Source: Ministry of Education

Metric

11.2 Lakh

Source: PIB

Critical Analysis

PM POSHAN is a critical intervention for tackling 'hidden hunger' (micronutrient deficiency) and ensuring school retention. The renaming from 'Mid-Day Meal' signals a shift toward a more holistic 'nutritional' focus rather than just a 'meal' focus. However, the scheme often grapples with quality control issues, corruption in food procurement, and social challenges like caste-based discrimination in cooking and serving. The recent inclusion of 'Balvatika' is a positive step toward early childhood care, but the real challenge lies in the rising cost of cooking (LPG and ingredients) which often exceeds the allocated cooking cost per child.

SDG Linkages

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)SDG 4 (Quality Education)SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

Constitutional Backing

Article 24 of CRC (Convention on the Rights of the Child)Article 47 (Duty to raise level of nutrition)National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

Technology Used

MIS PortalSMS-based daily monitoringDirect Benefit Transfer (DBT)

Success Stories

Pioneer in School Feeding

Key Takeaways

  • Covers 11.8 crore children in Classes 1-8
  • Now includes 'Balvatika' (pre-primary) children
  • Focus on Tithi Bhojan (community participation)
  • Promotion of 'School Nutrition Gardens'

Previous Year Questions

2022
2023
2023
2025
2025

Probable Questions

How can PM POSHAN be leveraged to address both malnutrition and educational outcomes in India? Examine.

MediumHigh

Mains Answer Fodder

PM POSHAN is essential for GS2 Social Justice. Keywords: 1. Nutritional Justice. 2. Social Integration (communal eating). 3. Human Capital formation. 4. Localizing SDGs (Zero Hunger).

Convergence Schemes

  • Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)
  • Anemia Mukt Bharat
  • POSHAN Abhiyaan

Sector Tags

EducationNutritionSocial Justice