What is the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana?
PM POSHAN is a centrally sponsored initiative of the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education. The programme provides one hot cooked meal to children enrolled in Government and Government-aided schools. It is implemented nationwide and covers all eligible students without any discrimination based on gender or social background.
The primary goals of the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan are to tackle two major challenges faced by many children in India—hunger and limited access to education. The scheme aims to enhance the nutritional well-being of students in Government and Government-aided schools while motivating children from economically disadvantaged groups to attend school more consistently and stay focused during classroom learning.
Objectives of PM POSHAN Shakti Nirman Yojana
- Improve nutritional status of schoolchildren by providing one hot cooked meal to students in Government and Government-aided schools, ensuring they receive adequate calories and essential nutrients for healthy growth.
- Address classroom hunger, enabling children to focus better during lessons by reducing short-term starvation and preventing fatigue during school hours.
- Enhance school attendance and retention, especially among children from economically weaker and disadvantaged backgrounds, by making mid-day meals a strong incentive for regular schooling.
- Promote social equality by providing meals to all eligible children without discrimination based on caste, gender, religion, or economic status, fostering inclusiveness and social harmony.
- Support holistic development, contributing to improved learning outcomes, better health, and overall well-being.
- Encourage community participation through involvement of local bodies, self-help groups, and parents in meal preparation and monitoring.
- Raise awareness about nutrition and hygiene, helping children develop healthy eating habits and understand the importance of balanced diets.
Benefits of PM POSHAN Shakti Nirman Scheme
Nutrition norms per child per day:
Primary: 450 calories and 12 g of protein
Upper Primary: 700 calories and 20 g of protein
Food norms per child per day:
Primary: 100 g food grains, 20 g pulses, 50 g vegetables, 5 g oil/fat, and salt/condiments as required
Upper Primary: 150 g food grains, 30 g pulses, 75 g vegetables, 7.5 g oil/fat, and salt/condiments as required
The scheme also includes provisions for serving hot cooked meals to children in pre-schools or Bal Vatika (prior to Class I) located within primary schools, in addition to the 11.80 crore children in Classes I to VIII studying across 11.20 lakh schools.
Nutrition and Food Norms Under the PM POSHAN Shakti Nirman Scheme
Nutrition norm per child per day |
||
Level |
Calorie |
Portion |
Primary |
450 |
12 gms |
Upper Primary |
700 |
20 gms |
Food norms per child per day |
|||||
Level |
Food grains |
Pulses |
Vegetables |
Oil & Fats |
Salts & condiments |
Primary |
100 gms |
20 gms |
50 gms |
5 gms |
As per need |
Upper Primary |
150 gms |
30 gms |
75 gms |
7.5 gms |
As per need |
Food norms per child per day |
|||||
Level |
Food grains |
Pulses |
Vegetables |
Oil & Fats |
Salts & condiments |
Primary |
100 gms |
20 gms |
50 gms |
5 gms |
As per need |
Upper Primary |
150 gms |
30 gms |
75 gms |
7.5 gms |
As per need |
Eligibility - PM POSHAN Shakti Nirman Scheme
The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
The applicant should be enrolled in a Primary or Upper Primary class (Class 1 to Class 8) in a Government or Government-aided school.
