Mumbai, Oct 5 (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday directed School Education, Women and Child Development departments to formulate a joint policy to ensure students receive fresh, nutritious and quality meals on time under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana.
He asked officials to examine the feasibility of extending the benefit of the nutrition scheme from students up to Class 8 to those up to Class 10 and submit a proposal, an official release issued here said.
He said district-level authorities should be given powers to take decisions based on local conditions and directed the departments to issue necessary guidelines.
The chief minister was reviewing the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana at Sahyadri Guest House in south Mumbai.
Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman or PM Poshan, earlier known as the National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools, is a centrally-sponsored scheme under the National Food Security Act. Its primary aim is to improve the nutritional status of children studying in Classes 1 to 8 in eligible schools.
School Education Minister Dada Bhuse and Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare were among those present at the review meeting.
Fadnavis said centralised kitchens should be adopted in urban and rural areas where this system is feasible. However, alternative arrangements through gram panchayats should be considered in remote and tribal areas where food from centralised kitchens takes too long to reach schools.
Before adopting the centralised kitchen model, local authorities should assess whether fresh meals can reach schools on time, he emphasised.
Wherever possible, self-help groups (SHGs) should be entrusted with meal distribution, Fadnavis said, adding district collectors, chief executive officers of zilla parishads and municipal commissioners should take decisions based on local requirements and feasibility.
Clear criteria should be laid down for food quality, services and payment systems, he stressed.
The two departments (school education, women and child development) should jointly assess demand at the district level and coordinate their available resources to ensure more effective implementation of the scheme, Fadnavis told the meeting.
Before finalising the joint policy, the departments should seek suggestions from district collectors and zilla parishad CEOs regarding local difficulties and necessary changes.
A joint proposal should then be placed before the state Cabinet for discussion and approval, he said.
Collectors should convene meetings of district-level nutrition committees and plan the inclusion of locally available protein-rich food items in school meals, the CM maintained.
Officials should also consider nutritious options, including millet-based food, keeping local dietary practices and students' preferences in mind, he insisted.
School Education Minister Bhuse suggested expanding the centralised kitchen network and providing funds to gram panchayats to enable them to supply nutritious meals locally.
He urged the Centre to increase the proportion of other grains in meals by reducing the quantity of rice.
Bhuse noted health cards were being prepared for school students and that health check-ups would henceforth be conducted in the presence of parents.
Women and Child Development Minister Tatkare informed the meeting her department had entrusted ISKCON with the task of providing nutritious food to 30 anganwadis in urban areas.
The number of anganwadis ((child care centres) covered would be increased after assessing the effectiveness of the initiative, she said.
Tatkare suggested giving district-level nutrition committees headed by collectors the authority to decide on meal arrangements based on local conditions and availability. Fresh food using locally required loose ingredients should be preferred over premixes or fortified products.
Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal suggested that maida (super-refined wheat flour) should not be used in the nutrition meals for school students.
According to the School Education Department, the PM Poshan scheme currently covers students from Classes 1 to 8 in 85,206 eligible schools run by state and central governments, local bodies and private-aided and partially-aided institutions.
As per central government norms, students from Classes 1 to 5 are provided meals containing 450 calories and 12 grams of protein, while those from Grades 6 to 8 receive meals containing 700 calories and 20 grams of protein.
To provide variety, 12 recipes, including different types of pulao, khichdi, usal (a traditional protein-rich pulse dish) and dal-rice, have been prescribed under the scheme, officials said.
(PTI)
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
