Centre raises material cost for PM POSHAN scheme by 9.5%, will pay additional Rs 954 crore for 2025-26

NEW DELHI: The Union government will bear an additional cost of Rs 954 crore in financial year 2025-26 due to an increase in the food material cost by 9.50% under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme. The education ministry announced the enhancement in cost due to inflation. The new rates will be applicable from May 1, 2025.

Under the PM POSHAN scheme, one hot cooked meal is served to 11.20 crore students studying in Balvatika and Classes 1 to 8, in 10.36 lakh government and government-aided schools.

For Bal Vatika and primary students, the material cost has been increased from Rs 6.19 to Rs 6.78, marking an enhancement of 0.59%. The cost for upper primary students has gone up by 0.88%, from Rs 9.29 to Rs 10.17.

The material cost is provided for procurement of pulses, vegetables, oil, spices and condiments, and fuel. Each Bal Vatika and primary school student gets 20 grams of pulses, 50 grams of oil, five grams of oil. Similarly, each upper primary student is eligible for 30 grams of pulses, 75 grams of vegetables, and 7.5 grams of oil. The quantity of spices and fuel per student per meal are as per requirements.

PM POSHAN Scheme: Per-meal cost

The Ministry of Labour provides data on inflation for these items under the PM POSHAN basket on the basis of Consumer Price Index – Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) in consonance with CPI index for PM POSHAN and accordingly CPI index for PM POSHAN basket has been worked out. The CPI-RL is based on collecting continuous monthly prices from the sample of 600 villages spread over 20 states across the country.

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“These rates of Material Cost are the minimum mandatory rates, however, States / UTs are free to contribute more than their prescribed share, as some States/UTs have been contributing more than their minimum mandatory share from their own resources for providing meals with augmented nutrition under the PM POSHAN Scheme,” the Centre said.

In addition to the material cost, the government provides about 26 lakh MT foodgrains through the Food Corporation of India, bearing 100% cost of foodgrains including subsidy of approximately Rs 9,000 crore per annum and 100% transportation cost of foodgrains from FCI depot to schools.

The per meal cost after adding all components including foodgrains cost under the PM POSHAN scheme is around Rs 12.13 for Bal Vatika and primary classes and Rs 17.62 for upper primary classes, the government further informed.