Fadnavis asks officials to study extending school nutrition meals up to Class 10

A review meeting of the PM Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme was held in Mumbai. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told officials that nutrition meals are currently provided to children up to Class 8, and asked them to examine the feasibility of extending this to Class 10 and then submit a proposal.

The meeting was held at the Sahyadri Guest House under the chairmanship of Mr Fadnavis. School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare and Minister of State Meghna Sakore-Bordikar were among those present.

Mr Fadnavis said children must get fresh, nutritious and good-quality food on time. For this, he said, the power to take decisions based on local conditions should be given at the district level. He asked the School Education Department and the Women and Child Development Department to frame a joint policy and issue the necessary guidelines.

The Chief Minister was also clear about maintaining food quality. According to him, the central kitchen option should be adopted in urban areas as well as in those rural areas where it can work.

Schools in remote and tribal areas are a different matter. Food from a central kitchen takes longer to reach them, so Mr Fadnavis said other options should be adopted through the gram panchayat in such places. Where the central kitchen option is implemented, it should also be checked locally whether fresh food reaches schools on time. The Chief Minister has issued directions in this regard.