PM POSHAN Scheme aims for a malnutrition-free India

Minakshi Mishra

(The writer is a freelancer)

To eliminate under-nutrition reversals experienced by many districts on nutrition indicators suggest that India needs to make food security a centerpiece of its overall development plans. To ensure community participation, the month of September celebrates Poshan Maah across the country. This month highlights the importance and role of nutrition for the human body. A balanced diet with a combination of essential nutrients and calories is pivotal for the smooth working and growth of the human body.

During the Poshan Maah, activities related to nutrition awareness by implementing departments and agencies like the women and child development department through Anganwadi workers and the health and family welfare department through ASHA and ANM spread the message of holistic nutrition to ensure a healthier future for women and children.

The centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme, earlier known as Mid-Day Meal Scheme, provides hot-cooked meals to students of elementary classes in schools. The PM POSHAN Scheme promises to provide hot cooked meals to eligible children on all school days, containing 450 calories and 12 gm protein for primary and also 700 calories and 20 gm protein for upper primary children.

PM POSHAN Scheme also covers students of Balvatikas (children in the 3-5 year age group) from Bal Vatika & I-VIII of Government and Government-Aided Schools. The PM POSHAN Scheme covers nearly 12 crore children in the age group of 5-11 years, comprising 22.6 lakh children from Bal Vatika, 7.2 crore children from primary and 4.6 crore upper primary children studying in 11.20 lakh schools across the country.

A special provision for providing supplementary nutrition items to children in districts with a high prevalence of Anemia and other health-related ailments is in practice. The PM POSHAN Scheme has provisioned to supplement nutrition, including fruits and chikkis for the aspirational districts and districts with a higher prevalence of anaemia (as per NFHS data) under the Flexi component.

The PM POSHAN Scheme encourages School Nutrition Gardens in more than 4 lakh schools. The gardens are helpful in the inclusion of nutritious green leafy vegetables and fruits in the diet of the school children. It also encourages the inclusion of organic farm produce, teaches children about the importance of homegrown food, nutrition, and environment and makes them love local produce.

Under the PM POSHAN Scheme, the concept of Tithi Bhojan is encouraged. It is a community participation programme where community volunteers provide meals/additional food items on birthdays, anniversaries, days of National importance etc.

Social Audit of the PM POSHAN Scheme has been made mandatory for every district and state. Public Hearings (Jan Sunvais), in which the Panchayat representatives, parents and general community participate and discuss the issues related to the PM POSHAN scheme.

PM POSHAN Scheme aims to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes with a focus on plans to nurture health, wellness and immunity to combat disease and malnutrition.