<h1 class="ql-align-center">PM Poshan Shakti Nirman Scheme</h1><h2> </h2><h2>﻿Context:</h2> <ul><li>The existing Mid-Day Meal scheme has been renamed as the National Scheme for PM Poshan Shakti Nirman.</li></ul> <h2>About:</h2> <ul><li>The Mid-day Meal Scheme was launched in the year 1995 as the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) is a centrally sponsored scheme.</li></ul> <ul><li class="ql-indent-1">In 2004, the scheme was relaunched as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme</li></ul> <ul><li>It is considered the&nbsp;world’s largest school meal program&nbsp;aimed to attain the goal of universalization of primary education.</li></ul> <ul><li>Provides cooked meals to every child&nbsp;within the age group of 6 to 14 years studying in classes I to VIII who enrolls and attends the school.</li></ul> <h2>Features:</h2> <ul><li>The new scheme has a provision for supplementary nutrition for children in aspirational districts and those with a high prevalence of anemia.</li></ul> <ul><li>It essentially does away with the restriction on the part of the Centre to provide funds only for wheat, rice, pulses, and vegetables. Currently, if a state decides to add any component like milk or eggs to the menu, the Centre does not bear the additional cost. Now that restriction has been lifted.</li></ul> <ul><li>They will be developed in schools to give children “firsthand experience with nature and gardening”.</li></ul> <ul><li>To promote vocal for local, women self-help groups and farmer producer organisations will be encouraged to provide a fillip to locally grown traditional food items.</li></ul> <ul><li>The scheme also plans “inspection” by students of colleges and universities for ground-level execution.</li></ul> <ul><li>Communities would also be encouraged to provide the children food at festivals etc while cooking festivals to encourage local cuisines are also envisaged.</li></ul> <ul><li>In other procedural changes meant to promote transparency and reduce leakages, States will be asked to do direct benefit cash transfers of cooking costs to individual school accounts, and honorarium amounts to the bank accounts of cooks and helpers.</li></ul> <ul><li>The rebranded scheme aims to focus on “holistic nutrition” goals. Use of locally grown traditional foods will be encouraged, along with school nutrition gardens.</li></ul> <img src="https://sunyaias-resources.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/content/aed3efda-60cd-11ec-988c-eb4d9236d0f2.png">