Nutrition Equivalence in PM POSHAN Substitutions

The Ministry of Education notes that the PM POSHAN Scheme, implemented jointly with State Governments and Union Territories, provides one hot cooked meal daily to children in Bal Vatika and classes I‑VIII of government and aided schools. The scheme prescribes per‑child daily nutrition norms – 450 kcal and 12 g protein for primary classes, and 700 kcal and 20 g protein for upper‑primary classes – along with specific food‑grain, pulse, vegetable, oil and salt quantities. States/UTs may tailor menus to local conditions and procure locally grown millets, vegetables, etc. Additionally, 5 % of the recurring budget is earmarked as a flexi component for School Nutrition Gardens and supplementary nutrition interventions, as stated by MoS Education Shri Jayant Chaudhary in the Lok Sabha.