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The Centre has announced that it will bear the additional cost of ₹425.62 crore in FY 2024-25 on account of inflation in food material cost under the centrally sponsored PM POSHAN Scheme.
Under the scheme, one hot cooked meal is served to 11.70 crore students studying in Balvatika and classes I to VIII 10.24 lakh government and government-aided schools.
On the basis of the inflation index provided by the Labour Bureau, the Ministry of Education has enhanced the material cost of pulses, vegetables and oil by 13.7%. “The material cost is enhanced from ₹5.45 to ₹6.19 for primary and Balvatika classes and from ₹8.17 to ₹9.29 for upper primary classes with effect from December 1,” said a release from the Ministry of Education. The material cost could not be revised during FY 2023-24, therefore the inflation value of items under PM POSHAN basket for both FY 2022-23 (6.45%) and FY 2023-24 (6.74%) has been considered for enhancement of cost.
Each Balvatika and primary school student is eligible for 20 grams of pulses, 50 grams of vegetables and five grams of oil. Similarly, each upper primary student is eligible for 30 grams of pulses, 50 grams of vegetables and seven grams of oil.
The Labour Bureau 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 the CPI index for PM POSHAN and accordingly the 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 of the country.
The new rates will be applicable across all the States and UTs. “These rates of material cost are the minimum mandatory rates; however, States and UTs are free to contribute more than their prescribed share, as some States and 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 statement said.
The Centre also provides about 26 lakh MT foodgrains through the Food Corporation of India for which it bears 100% cost of foodgrains, including subsidy of approximately ₹9,000 crore per annum and 100% transportation cost of foodgrains from FCI depots to schools. “The per meal cost after adding all components including foodgrains cost under the scheme comes to approximately ₹11.54 for Balvatika and primary classes and ₹16.74 for upper primary classes,” the statement said.
Published – December 10, 2024 09:52 pm IST
