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- 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.
- States will be asked to do direct benefit cash transfers of
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.
Other Government Initiatives
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Source: IE
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