**Executive Summary:**
The Ministry of Education addressed concerns regarding the PM POSHAN scheme, a centrally sponsored scheme providing hot cooked meals to children in government and aided schools. The response details increases in material costs to account for inflation, the provision of foodgrains through the Food Corporation of India (FCI), and considerations regarding state governments' requests for enhanced central shares. The scheme aims to provide nutritious meals to approximately 11 crore children in over 10.35 lakh schools across States and UTs.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Scheme Overview:**
* PM POSHAN is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented in partnership with States and UTs.
* It provides hot, cooked, and nutritious meals to children in Bal Vatika (just before class I) and classes I to VIII in government and government-aided schools.
* The scheme covers approximately 11 crore children in over 10.35 lakh schools.
* State Governments and UT Administrations have the overall responsibility for providing the meals.
* **Central Government Assistance:**
* The Central Government provides 100% assistance for the cost of foodgrains, transportation, and Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation (MME).
* **Material Cost Increase:**
* Material costs have been increased twice recently to factor in inflation for ingredients like pulses, vegetables, cooking oil, and fuel.
* The revisions are based on the Consumer Price Index – Rural Laborers (CPI-RL) index.
* Revised material costs per student per day:
* Bal Vatika & Primary: Rs. 6.78 (w.e.f. 01.05.2025)
* Upper Primary: Rs. 10.17 (w.e.f. 01.05.2025)
* **Foodgrain Provision:**
* Foodgrains are provided by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
* Fortified foodgrains are allocated biannually by the Department of School Education and Literacy with the concurrence of Department of Food and Public Distribution.
* The payment of the cost of foodgrains has been decentralized.
* **Food Corporation of India (FCI) Responsibilities:**
* Ensure continuous availability of adequate foodgrains.
* Allow lifting of foodgrains one month in advance.
* Issue foodgrains of at least Fair Average Quality (FAQ).
* Appoint a Nodal Officer for each State.
* **Quality Control:**
* District Collector/CEO of Zila Panchayat to ensure foodgrains of at least FAQ are issued by FCI after joint inspection.
* FCI to keep samples for future verification.
* **Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB):**
* State Governments and UT Administrations prepare AWPB with detailed information on various aspects of the scheme.
* **Foodgrain Supply:**
* During the year 2024-25, the Government of India supplied 26 lakh MTs of foodgrains through FCI at an approximate cost of Rs. 9,000 crore.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **State Governments and UT Administrations:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for providing hot and nutritious meals and preparing Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPB). Potentially impacted by the need to manage increased material costs within their budgets.
* *Action Required:* Continue to implement the PM POSHAN scheme, manage budgets effectively, and prepare AWPB.
* **Food Corporation of India (FCI):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for the supply and quality of foodgrains.
* *Action Required:* Ensure continuous availability of adequate foodgrains of at least FAQ, appoint Nodal Officers, and cooperate with district authorities for joint inspections.
* **Schools:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for providing nutritious meals to students, need to manage costs.
* *Action Required:* Utilize increased material costs to improve the quality and nutritional value of meals.
* **District Collectors/CEO of Zila Panchayat:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for ensuring the quality of foodgrains issued by FCI.
* *Action Required:* Conduct joint inspections with FCI and nominees to ensure foodgrains meet FAQ norms.
* **Students:**
* *Impact:* Intended beneficiaries of the scheme, receiving hot and nutritious meals.
* *Action Required:* None.
Key Entities Referenced
PM POSHAN Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman PM POSHAN Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme providing hot cooked meals to children in schools.
Ministry of Education: The Indian government ministry responsible for education.
Food Corporation of India FCI: The agency responsible for the supply and distribution of foodgrains under the PM POSHAN Scheme.
Consumer Price Index Rural Laborers CPIRL: Index used to revise the material cost under PM POSHAN Scheme.
Bal Vatika: A preparatory class for children just before class I, covered under the PM POSHAN scheme.
Union Territory Administrations: The administrative bodies governing the Union Territories of India, responsible for implementing the PM POSHAN Scheme in their respective territories.
State Governments: The governments of the individual states within India, responsible for implementing the PM POSHAN Scheme in their respective states.
North East Region: Refers to the northeastern region of India, where the Food Corporation of India ensures continuous availability of foodgrains in its Depots and in Principal Distribution Centres.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No-1240
ANSWERED ON- 28/07/2025
Hot Meals in Schools under PM-POSHAN Scheme
1240. Shri Selvaganapathi T.M.:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the material cost for cooking hot meals in schools under the PM-
POSHAN scheme has been increased, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is also true that the Government provides foodgrains through the Food
Corporation of India and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether it is also true that many State Governments have been demanding to enhance
the share of the Union Government under PM-POSHAN due to the high inflation index;
and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the views of the Government in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (d): Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme is one of the
foremost rights based Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States
and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to all children studying in Bal Vatika
(just before class-I) and classes I to VIII of Government and Government-aided schools. The
Scheme covers about 11 crore children in more than 10.35 lakh schools in all the States/UTs.
PM POSHAN Scheme is implemented in partnership with the State Governments and Union
Territory Administrations. The overall responsibility for providing hot and nutritious meal to
the eligible children lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The
Central Government provides 100% assistance for cost of foodgrains, transportation cost and
cost of Management Monitoring & Evolution (MME). The material cost under PM POSHAN
Scheme has been increased twice recently. The rationale behind increasing the material cost
under PM POSHAN Scheme is to factor in inflation in the cost of ingredients e.g. pulses,
vegetables, cooking oil, other condiments and fuel. The existing rates of material cost have
been revised based on Consumer Price Index - Rural Laborers (CPI-RL) index. It will help the
schools to provide all the nutrients as prescribed to students and improve the quality of food.
The comparative per student per day Material Cost under PM POSHAN Scheme is at
Annexure I.As mandated under the Scheme, foodgrains are provided by Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The foodgrains/ fortified foodgrains are allocated bi-annually by the Department of School
Education and Literacy with the concurrence of Department of Food and Public Distribution.
The allocation of foodgrains, as approved by the Programme Approval Board (PAB) are made
to the State Nodal Department and the FCI. The payment of the cost of foodgrains has been
decentralized to ensure greater stake holding and role of the district authorities in ensuring
prompt lifting of foodgrains and timely payment to FCI, which has resulted in reducing time
lag in making payment to FCI. It is the responsibility of the FCI to ensure continuous
availability of adequate foodgrains in its Depots (and in Principal Distribution Centres in the
case of North East Region). It will allow lifting of foodgrains for any month/quarter upto one
month in advance so that supply chain of foodgrains remains uninterrupted. FCI will issue
foodgrains of best available quality, which will in any case be at least of Fair Average Quality
(FAQ). FCI has also appointed a Nodal Officer for each State to take care of various problems
in supply of foodgrains under the Scheme. The District Collector/CEO of Zila Panchayat will
also ensure that foodgrains of at least FAQ are issued by FCI after joint inspection by a team
consisting of FCI and the nominee of the Collector and/or Chief Executive Officer, District
Panchayat, and confirmation by them that the grain conforms to at least FAQ norms. FCI will
keep samples of such foodgrains supplied by it for future verification and analysis; this will be
available in case of any complaints regarding the quality of foodgrains supplied.
It may be noted that though PM POSHAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the Central
Government provides 100% assistance for cost of foodgrains, transportation cost and cost of
Management Monitoring & Evolution (MME). The State Governments and UT
Administrations prepare comprehensive Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B), inter-alia,
with detailed district-wise vital information on coverage of children, working days and schools;
enrolment in schools; utilisation of foodgrains, utilisation of cooking cost, transportation cost,
Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (MME), payment of honorarium to Cook-cum-
Helper, construction of kitchen-cum-stores, procurement of kitchen devices etc. During the
year 2024-25, foodgrains to the tune of 26 lakh MTs at an approximate cost of Rs. 9,000 crore
have been supplied by the Government of India through Food Corporation of India (FCI).
****ANNEXURE-I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (D) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1240 FOR 28.07.2025 RAISED BY SHRI
SELVAGANAPATHI T.M., HON’BLE MP REGARDING HOT MEALS IN SCHOOLS
UNDER PM-POSHAN SCHEME.
MATERIAL COST UNDER PM POSHAN SCHEME
Classes Material Cost till Material Cost w.e.f. Material Cost
30.11.2024 (in Rs.) 01.12.2024 (in Rs.) w.e.f. 01.05.2025
(in Rs.)
Bal Vatika & Primary
5.45 6.19 6.78
Upper Primary
8.17 9.29 10.17