PM- POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman)

In News

• According to official records, around 65 % of 24.95 laid Cook-Cum-Helpers(CCHs) engaged under PM-Poshan (earlier Mid-Day Meal) are paid less than 2,000/month. In some of the states, it is constant at 1,000/month since 2009.

PM-Poshan

• About:
  • Type: Centrally-Sponsored Scheme.
  • Ministry: Ministry of Education.
  • Coverage: All school children studying in Classes I-VIII of Government, Government-Aided Schools.
  • Funding: Funds for payments to cooks and workers are split by the Centre in a 60:40 ratio with states, and UTs with legislatures.
  • Continuation for the five-year period 2021-22 to 2025-26. 
  • Proposed to be extended to pre-primary or Bal Vatikas of Government and Government-aided primary schools.
• Nutritional Norms:
  • For children of Primary classes- 450 calories and 12 grams protein
  • For children of Upper-Primary classes- 700 calories and 20 grams protein.
• Outcomes:
  • To benefit more than 11.80 crore children studying in 11.20 lakh schools across the country. 
  • Investment of more than ? 24,400 crores, including the cost of about ? 11,500 crores on food grains.
  • Development of School Nutrition Garden in more than 3 lakh schools already completed.
• School Nutrition Gardens:
  • To give children first-hand experience with nature and gardening and to harvest them to provide additional micronutrients. 
• Holistic nutrition goals:
  • The Policy provisions have also added a 5 per cent Flexi component into the existing budget to allow States to incorporate. 
  • Additional nutrition-rich elements — such as fortified foods, fruits and milk — into the menu. 
  • The concept of TithiBhojan– a community participation program in which people provide special food to children on special occasions/festivals.
  • Provisions for supplementary nutrition items to children in aspirational districts and districts with a high prevalence of Anemia.
• Social audits:
  • It has been made mandatory in all districts.
  • College students and trainee teachers will be roped in to do field inspections to ensure the quality of meals.
• Direct Benefit Transfer:
  • States will be asked to do direct benefit cash transfers of 
    • cooking costs to individual school accounts, and 
    • honorarium amounts to the bank accounts of cooks and helpers.

Expected Benefits

• Tackle Malnutrition among school-going children.
• Achieve Right to Food and SDGs.
• Help the Aspirational and Tribal Districts
• Promotion of ethnic cuisines and culture
• Promote transparency and reduce leakages (By opting Social Audit & DBT).
• Promote Gender-Equity and development of girl child. 
• It supplements education with nutrition.
• Deter poor house-hold do not send their children to work as their food and education is taken care of by the government.

Major Concerns

• No increase in monthly honorarium to Cooks:
  • In States like UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Odisha remuneration for CCHs is less than 2,000/month while in states like Tamil Nadu it is as high as 12,000/month, and in UT of Puducherry, it is 21,000/month.
  • Legislation of Minimum Wages does not apply to them as they are classified as honorary workers rendering social service.
• Funding Issues:
  • Delays on part of the Finance Department of concerned states to release funds for payment to CCHs.
• Poor Quality of Food:
  • Many cooks are not very well trained for cooking food.
• Hunger and Malnutrition: 
  • According to the Global Hunger Index 2021, published by Welthunger Life and Concern Worldwide, India ranked 101 out of 116 countries.  
  • According to Oxfam India, the amount for child nutrition dropped by 18.5% compared to 2020-21. 
• Other Factors:  
  • Corruption, Caste bias and Discrimination

Way Ahead

• The process of food procurement and distribution should be made more transparent by involving technology.
• Awareness to remove caste bias and discrimination through stories of Rama, Krishna, etc.
• Proper and regular monitoring of the scheme and routine surprise inspection to check the quality, quantity, and distribution of food.
• Health components should also be added to increase their efficiency and effectiveness.

Source: IE