PM POSHAN - DNH&DD

The PM POSHAN Scheme, implemented by the Department of Education, DNH & DD, provides nutritious mid-day meals to school children. Earlier known as the Mid Day Meal Scheme (launched on 15.08.1995), it was renamed in 2021 to improve nutrition, attendance, and learning outcomes.

The PM POSHAN Scheme, launched nationwide in 2021 by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, is implemented in the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu through the Department of Education. The scheme continues the earlier Mid-Day Meal Programme, aiming to provide hot, cooked, nutritious meals to children enrolled in government and government-aided schools. It seeks to enhance child nutrition, promote regular school attendance, and support overall academic performance.

Under the scheme, eligible children from Balvatika, Primary (I–V), and Upper Primary (VI–VIII) receive freshly prepared meals on all school working days. The meals are designed to meet prescribed nutritional norms, ensuring adequate calorie intake and essential nutrients for healthy growth. PM POSHAN also includes provisions for food safety, quality monitoring, kitchen devices, infrastructure strengthening, and community participation to ensure effective implementation.

The scheme particularly benefits children from economically and socially disadvantaged families, helping reduce classroom hunger and improve retention. In DNH&DD, the Directorate of Education oversees planning, fund allocation, meal preparation standards, and monitoring through school-level committees (SMCs). Through its holistic approach, PM POSHAN aims to boost children’s health, reduce malnutrition, and create an enabling environment for better learning outcomes.

1) The applicant must be a school-going child enrolled in a Government (Balvatika–VIII), Government-aided (VI–VIII) or Local Body (Balvatika–VIII) school.

2) The child should be studying in Balvatika, Primary classes I–V, or Upper Primary classes VI–VIII.

3) No income criteria are applicable; all enrolled children are eligible.

4) Children studying in Special Training Centres (STCs) under the RTE Act and CwSN enrolled under Home based Education are also eligible.

1) Hot, cooked, nutritious meals provided to students on all school working days.

2) Ensures adequate calorie and protein intake as per national nutritional norms.

3) Improves health and nutrition levels of school-going children.

4) Enhances school attendance, retention, and reduces classroom hunger.

5) Supports better concentration and learning outcomes among students.

6) Provides essential micronutrients to address anaemia and malnutrition.

7) Encourages enrollment in Government and Government Aided schools.

8) Strengthens social equity by serving all children without discrimination.

9) Includes food safety and hygiene measures for quality assurance.

10) Provides support for kitchen devices and infrastructure improvement.