12/08/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/08/2021 04:15
Malnutrition is a multi- faceted problem. Key reasons for malnutrition in early life are early marriage, faulty and sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices, childhood illnesses and low birth weight. The nutritional status of the population is outcome of complex and inter-related set of factors and needs a multi-pronged approach.
Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme earlier known as 'National Programme for Mid-Day Meal in Schools' is one of the foremost rights based Centrally Sponsored Schemes. This Scheme covers all school children studying in Classes I-VIII in Government and Government-Aided Schools. There is also evidence to suggest that apart from enhancing school attendance and child nutrition this scheme has an important social value and fosters equality.
Schedule II of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 mandates provision of hot cooked meal containing 450 calories and 12 gms protein for primary and 700 calories and 20 gms protein for upper primary class children under this scheme. The scheme also provides cooking cost of ₹ 4.97 for primary and ₹ 7.45 for upper primary per child per day on all working days for meeting the cost of pulses, vegetables, edible oil and condiments.
As envisaged in the Guidelines, every State/UT has a specific weekly menu. Further, school managements are also encouraged to seek local support for drawing out varied, but wholesome and nutritious menus using locally available and culturally acceptable food items. All States and UTs are further encouraged to adopt ways to develop a menu that reflects local taste and local produce that is different on different days.
Apart from providing hot cooked meal/Food Security Allowance (FSA), Department of School Education and Literacy has taken several steps as mentioned below:
This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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