Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has constituted a committee to assess and address the nutritional needs of students under the PM POSHAN scheme, aiming to improve its implementation across the state. The move was announced by the School and Mass Education (S&ME) Department in a notification issued on Thursday.
The committee, chaired by the State Nodal Officer for PM POSHAN in Odisha, includes representatives from the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, and the World Food Programme. Additionally, members from the Health and Family Welfare Department and the Director of Secondary Education, Odisha, are part of the panel.
This initiative comes in the wake of the Centre’s recent revision of material costs for midday meals (MDM) under the PM POSHAN scheme. The revised rates have increased by ₹0.74 for primary students and ₹1.12 for upper primary students. Consequently, the cost per midday meal has risen to ₹6.19 for Bal Vatika and primary students and ₹9.29 for upper primary students, up from the previous ₹5.45 and ₹8.17, respectively.
In addition to the Centre’s revisions, the Odisha government has announced an extra ₹1 hike in MDM costs to further support the nutritional requirements of school children in the state. This brings added resources to enhance meal quality and address nutritional gaps.
The PM POSHAN scheme ensures one hot cooked meal daily for students from Classes I to VIII, playing a critical role in supporting the health and education of millions of children. The newly formed committee is tasked with reviewing current practices and proposing measures to enhance the scheme’s nutritional outcomes and operational efficiency.
By collaborating with national and international experts, the state aims to strengthen the delivery of the PM POSHAN scheme, benefiting children across Odisha and contributing to their overall well-being and academic performance.
