Cabinet approves launch of ‘PM POSHAN in Schools’ scheme

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the continuation of ‘National Scheme for PM POSHAN in Schools’ for the five year period 2021-22 to 2025-26 with the financial outlay of Rs 54061.73 crores from the Central Government and Rs 31,733.17 crore from State Governments & UT administrations. 

The Central Government will also bear an additional cost of about Rs 45,000 crore on foodgrains. Therefore, the total scheme budget will amount to Rs 1,30,794.90 crore.

Key Highlights

• The scheme covers about 11.80 crore children studying in 11.20  lakh schools across the country. During 2020-21, Government of India invested more than Rs 24,400 crore in the scheme, including a cost of about Rs 11,500 crore on foodgrains.
• 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.

• 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.

• Government is promoting the 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.

SOURCE: The Hindu

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