Maharashtra School Meals: CM Devendra Fadnavis Seeks Policy Revamp, Asks Officials To Explore Extending Scheme To Class 10

Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is pushing for a major overhaul of the state's school meal program, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana. The program currently benefits students in Classes 1-8 in 85,206 schools, providing 450 calories and 12 grams of protein for younger children and 700 calories and 20 grams of protein for older students.

Fadnavis has instructed government departments to design a joint policy granting district-level authorities more autonomy, allowing them to ensure meals are fresh, nutritious, and served on time. He is also considering extending the scheme to include Class 10 students, instead of the current limit of Classes 1-8.

In urban areas, centralized kitchens should be utilized, while in rural regions where transporting meals from centralized kitchens could delay delivery, alternative models like those involving gram panchayats should be explored. District collectors, Zilla Parishad chief executive officers, and municipal commissioners are tasked with evaluating local requirements and selecting the most suitable model for each area.

To improve food quality, service delivery, and payment systems, clear standards should be established. District collectors are expected to convene meetings of district-level nutrition committees and plan the inclusion of locally available protein-rich foods and millet-based preparations, taking into account local food habits and student preferences.

The Maharashtra government is also working with MMRDA and the University College London to set up a climate-resilient urban systems center for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. School education minister Dadaji Bhuse has recommended increasing the use of other grains in addition to rice and suggesting that the central government consider reducing the proportion of rice in school meals.

Health cards are being prepared for schoolchildren, and health check-ups will be conducted in the presence of parents. Women and Child Development minister Aditi Tatkare believes nutritious meals supplied through ISKCON to 30 anganwadis in urban areas should be expanded after assessing its effectiveness. She also favors fresh local food over pre-mix or fortified products.