Relevance: GS-2 (Welfare Schemes, Nutrition) • Source: Indian Express, Ministry of Education
The government is reviewing the performance and expansion needs of PM Poshan, a key scheme addressing child nutrition, school attendance, and learning outcomes.
What is PM Poshan?
PM Poshan (earlier Mid-Day Meal Scheme) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme providing one hot nutritious meal to government and government-aided school children from Class 1–8.
It aims to reduce hunger, improve enrolment, and support human capital formation, aligning with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).
Key Provisions and Benefits
| Provision / Feature | Brief Description |
|---|---|
| Hot cooked meal | Standardised nutritional norms (calories, protein, micronutrients). |
| Coverage | Children of Class 1–8; also supports pre-primary sections in many states. |
| Nutritional components | Fortified rice, millets (as per state choice), pulses, veggies, eggs (in some states). |
| Social equity | Shared meals reduce caste barriers; encourage girl-child attendance. |
| Monitoring | School Nutrition Gardens, social audits, PM-POSHAN mobile app. |
Challenges and Way Ahead
| Challenge | Way Ahead |
|---|---|
| Quality & hygiene issues | Strengthen inspections, community monitoring, and infrastructure. |
| Irregular meal supply | Improve last-mile logistics and timely fund release. |
| Nutrition gaps | Promote millets, biofortification, and local food diversity. |
| Leakages & corruption | Expand Direct Benefit Transfer and digital tracking. |
UPSC Prelims Practice Question
Q. PM Poshan Yojana is jointly implemented by:
A) Ministry of Health and Ministry of Women and Child Development
B) Ministry of Education and State Governments
C) Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education
D) Ministry of Education only
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