New Delhi, April 10: In an effort to strengthen the PM POSHAN Scheme, the Ministry of Education has enhanced the ‘Material Cost’ by 9.50 per cent and new rates will be applicable across all the states/UTs from May 1, it was announced on Thursday.

The Central government will bear the additional cost of approximately Rs 954 crore in FY26 due to this enhancement.

In addition to the ‘Material Cost’, the government provides about 26 lakh MT foodgrains through the Food Corporation of India.

The government bears 100 per cent cost of foodgrains including subsidy of about Rs 9,000 crore per annum and 100 per cent transportation cost of foodgrains from FCI depot to schools.

The per meal cost after adding all components including foodgrains cost under the scheme comes to nearly Rs 12.13 for Bal Vatika and Primary classes and Rs 17.62 for upper primary classes.

The rise in ‘Material Cost’ was announced on the basis of inflation index provided by the Labour Bureau, according to the Ministry of Education.

The PM POSHAN Scheme is a centrally-sponsored scheme under which one hot cooked meal is served to 11.20 crore students studying in Balvatika and classes I to VIII, in 10.36 lakh government and government-aided schools on all school-days.

The scheme aims at providing nutritional support and enhancing school participation of students. Under the PM POSHAN Scheme, ‘Material Cost’ is provided for procurement of several ingredients required for cooking the meals.

The Labour Bureau provides data on inflation for items under the PM POSHAN basket on the basis of Consumer Price Index–Rural Labourers (CPI-RL), in consonance with CPI index for PM POSHAN and accordingly, CPI index for PM POSHAN basket has been worked out.

The CPI-RL is constructed by Labour Bureau, Chandigarh on the basis of collecting continuous monthly prices from the sample of 600 villages spread over 20 States of the country.

“These rates of 'Material Cost' are the minimum mandatory rates, however, States/UTs are free to contribute more than their prescribed share, as some States/UTs have been contributing more than their minimum mandatory share from their own resources for providing meals with augmented nutrition under the PM POSHAN Scheme,” said the ministry. (IANS)

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