New Delhi [India], March 31 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary on Monday defended the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) scheme, formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, assuring adequate and well-managed fund allocation to States and Union Territories and good quality of meals being served to children.

The MoS' remarks come in response to AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi's questions regarding the operational intricacies and financial health of the PM-POSHAN.

On Owaisi's request for a year-wise and state-wise breakdown of fund allocation, release, and utilisation for the past two decades, with a specific focus on Bihar, MoS Jayant Chaudhary noted the significance of the scheme and clarified that while the Central Government assists, the scheme is implemented as a partnership with the states and Union Territories under the Concurrent List.

He said that the data showing the central assistance released to Bihar and other states was officially provided in the parliamentary annexure.

'The (PM POSHAN) Scheme is one of the foremost rights based Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to all children studying in Bal Vatika (just before class-I) and classes I to VIII of Government and Government-aided schools. The Scheme covers about 11 crore children in more than 10.35 lakh schools in all the States/UTs. The overall responsibility for smooth functioning of the Scheme including providing hot cooked and nutritious meal to the eligible children as well as engagement of Cook-cum-Helpers (CCHs) lies with the States/UTs,' the MoS replied.

Further, on the concern of whether the states are meeting their financial obligations and details on those spending beyond their mandated share since 2015, the MoS confirmed that the State Governments and UT Administrations prepare a comprehensive Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B) to track spending, which the Programme Approval Board (PAB) reviews annually to ensure that financial releases match actual student enrollment and working days.

'The Scheme inter-alia provides additional allocation of funds and foodgrains if student enrolment surpasses the PAB approval. States and UTs have the authority to provide additional funds from their own resources and many States/ UTs provide additional funds for payment of honorarium to CCHs and for additional nutrition items such as milk, egg, fruits, etc. to students,' MoS responded.

A significant portion of Owaisi's questions focused on the quality of meals in Bihar, specifically asking about the steps taken by the Union Government to address recurring complaints.

In response, Chaudhary outlined a rigorous, multi-layered quality control framework that mandates the use of 'Agmark' and branded ingredients, training to Cook-cum-Helpers and requires that meals be tasted by a member of the School Management Committee or a teacher before being served to children. Further, he said that the scheme provides for the testing of food samples by the Government Food Research Laboratory or any laboratory accredited or recognised by law.

'The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is given responsibility for making available food grains of best available quality, meeting the parameters of Fair Average Quality (FAQ). The guidelines, provides for training of CCHs on nutrition, cooking processes, health and hygiene, preparation of raw grains and vegetables, recipes, serving skills etc. States/ UTs provide training to CCHs in collaboration with the Institutes of Hotel Management, Food Craft Institutes, FSSAI, State Universities etc,' he stated.

Finally, the MoS addressed the query regarding specific mechanisms used to maintain standards in Bihar, and said that an Empowered Committee, under the leadership of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, PAB, State Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee and District level Steering-cum- Monitoring Committee are formed to monitor the scheme regularly on different levels.

'At local level Gram Panchayats/Gram Sabhas, members of Village Education Committees (VECs), Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and the School Management Committees (SMCs) monitor the regularity and wholesomeness of the meal served to children, cleanliness in cooking and serving of the meal, timeliness in procurement of good quality ingredients, fuel, etc., implementation of variety in menu so as to make it attractive to children and ensuring social and gender equity on daily basiis,' the MoS stated in the response. (ANI)