The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved increasing funding for the 'National Scheme for PM POSHAN in Schools' for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26 at a cost of over Rs 1.30 lakh crore.

According to the government of India, the scheme will cost Rs 54,061.73 crore from the federal government and Rs 31,733.17 crore from the states and union territories (UTs). The Centre will shoulder an additional cost of about Rs 45,000 crore for food grains, bringing the total budget to Rs 1,30,794.90 crore.

The union minister told the media that the new program will subsume the existing Mid Day Meal Program after briefing the media on Cabinet decisions following the meeting.

It is a centrally-sponsored scheme that covers all school children studying in classes 1 to 8 of government- and government-aided schools, providing one hot meal per day. Around 11.80 crore children are enrolled in 11.20 lakh schools across the country as part of the program. During 2020-21, the Centre spent more than Rs 24,400 crore on the scheme, including cost of about Rs 11,500 crore of food grains. "The earlier name of the scheme was 'National Scheme for Mid-Day Meal in Schools' popularly known as Mid-Day Meal Scheme," a release from the government said.

The scheme has also been extended to students studying in pre-primary or Bal Vatikas of government elementary schools as well as government-funded primary schools. Furthermore, the government said the concept of 'Tithi Bhojan', a community participation programme in which people provide special food to children on special occasions/festivals, would be encouraged extensively.

Special provision has been made for providing supplementary nutrition items to children in aspirational districts and districts with high prevalence of anaemia under the scheme, while social audit of the scheme has been made mandatory in all the districts.
 
"Involvement of Farmers Producer Organisations (FPO) and women self-help groups in implementation of the scheme will be encouraged. Use of locally grown traditional food items for a fillip to local economic growth will be encouraged," the release said.

The Cabinet has also approved the expansion of the Nimach-Ratlam railway line and the Rajkot-Kanalus railway line at a total estimated cost of Rs. 1,095.88 crore and Rs. 1,080.58 crore, respectively.

The Cabinet has also agreed to a Rs 4,400 crore investment in Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) Ltd., which will benefit exporters, banks and create 59 lakh new jobs.

Image source: ANI