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Time of India

Hike in rates for midday meals in schools may improve what's on the plate, say teachers

Pune: Teachers have said that the central govt's decision to increase the money for procuring material for PM POSHAN Scheme (midday meals) in schools is beneficial. There was much hue and cry that the per-student cost of the meal provided was less and it was affecting the quality of food. Self-help groups complained that the rates provided by the govt were not enough to match the huge increase in the prices of fuel and cooking oil. The revised rate per student has been fixed at Rs 6.78 (an increase of Rs 1.81) for Std I to V, and Rs 10.17 (an increase of Rs 2.72) for Std VI to VIII. "Earlier, in smaller schools where just one person cooks the food and we keep the cooking material in the kitchen shed, we had to pay from our pockets to provide for oil and spices. But the revised rate, effective from this academic year, will improve the quality of food provided to students," Vijay Kombe, state president of Maharashtra State Primary Teachers' Association, said. Mahendra Ganpule, spokesperson for Maharashtra School Principals' Federation, said that the rates should be increased when food prices go up so that the quality of food given to students by centralized kitchens or self-help groups is not affected. The central govt notification said that they enhanced the material cost by 9.5% on the basis of the inflation index provided by the labour bureau. The PM POSHAN Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme under which one hot cooked meal is served to 11.20 crore students in Balvatika and Std I to VIII, in 10.36 lakh government and government-aided schools on all school days. What Do Students Get? Under the PM POSHAN Scheme, 'material cost' is provided for the procurement of ingredients Ingredients per student per meal quantity Bal Vatika & Primary I Pulses 20g, Vegetables 50g, Oil 5g Upper Primary: Pulses 30g, Vegetables 75g, Oil 7.5g (Spices & condiments and fuel as per need) Enhanced Cost Bal Vatika and Primary I Rs 6.78 Upper Primary I Enhanced cost Rs 10.17