The Central Government has launched Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) to help provide a healthy life to the children of the country whose parents cannot afford a nutritional diet because of financial crunch. After all, it is well-stated that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, which can only be achieved through a healthy diet. This becomes more important when we talk about children, who are the country’s future.
Earlier known as the National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) is one of the prominent schemes operated by India’s government for the country’s development. Notably, this government move is prominently based on an individual’s right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which discusses the right to live with dignity with at least two decent meals daily. The centrally sponsored scheme under the Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) aims to enhance the nutritional status of children studying in classes I-VIII in eligible schools.
The main objectives of the PM POSHAN Scheme, which was earlier known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, are to address two of the most crucial problems facing the majority of children in the country, including hunger and education. This objective can be achieved by enhancing the nutritional status of eligible children in government and government-aided schools by motivating poor children from disadvantaged sections to attend school more regularly and improving their engagement in classroom activities.
The scheme also aims to provide nutritional support to elementary-stage children in drought-affected and disaster-affected areas during the summer holidays.The scheme received a green signal from the central government to provide one hot cooked meal in government and government-aided schools from the fiscal year 2021-22 to 2025-26. Implemented by the Ministry of Education, the scheme provides hot-cooked meals to children of pre-schools or Bal Vatika (before class I) in primary schools. The provision also applies to the 11.80 crore children of classes I to VIII studying in 11.20 lakh schools. Notably, the scheme applies to children across the nation without any discrimination of gender and social class.
Mission Poshan 2.0, an integrated nutrition support programme, has been announced in the 2021-22 budget for all states and union territories to strengthen nutritional content, outreach, delivery, and outcomes. It focuses on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition