Centre revises material costs for midday meals in govt schools under PM Poshan

In Punjab, the Centre will bear 60 per cent of the material cost and the state government will provide the rest. The central government’s share will thus be Rs 3.71 per child and the state will add Rs 2.48 per child for Bal Vatika and primary students. For upper primary school students, the Centre’s share will be Rs 5.57 per child, with the state contributing Rs 3.72.

Approximately 19 lakh students of up to Class 8 are beneficiaries of the midday meal scheme across 19,120 government schools in the state.

Last revision in 2022

Before 2022, the previous revision of material costs took place on May 15, 2020, with rates set at Rs 4.97 for primary students and Rs 7.45 for upper primary students. In 2018 the costs were revised, with the rate for primary school children increasing from Rs 4.13 to Rs 4.35, while for upper primary school students, it rose from Rs 6.18 to Rs 6.51 per child.

Launched in 1995 and implemented nationwide since 2001, the midday meal scheme aims to combat hunger and malnutrition among schoolchildren through coordination between the central and state governments.

Digvijay Pal Sharma, president of Democratic Teachers Front, said: “It is good that finally, the central government has revised the material costs. Given the inflation rate, we had been asking them to revise the rates soon. Schools get wheat and rice from the central pool and apart from this, most schools arrange fuel also on their own. So after meeting all these expenses, I think we can manage with the new rates.”

Meanwhile, the demands of midday meal cooks and cook-cum-helpers are yet to be met. The state government is expected to notify the new costs soon.