NEW DELHI, April 10 – The Indian government will incur an additional ₹954 crore ($115 million) in food material costs for its PM-POSHAN scheme in the 2025-26 financial year, following a 9.5% increase in the material cost for providing midday meals to schoolchildren.
The Ministry of Education confirmed the enhancement in a statement on Thursday, which will take effect from May 1, 2025. The new rates will see an increase in the cost per student per day. For balvatika (preschool) and primary school students, the material cost will rise from ₹6.19 to ₹6.78. For upper primary students, the cost will increase from ₹9.29 to ₹10.17.
The PM-POSHAN scheme, formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, provides one hot cooked meal to students in government and government-aided schools across the country. The nutritional support includes pulses, vegetables, and oil, with specific quantities depending on the class. The scheme aims to improve student participation in schools while also addressing nutritional needs.
The Ministry of Education noted that while these enhanced rates are the minimum mandatory costs, states and union territories are encouraged to contribute additional funds from their resources to provide meals with increased nutrition. Some states have already been contributing more than the prescribed share to further enhance meal quality.
The increase in material costs reflects adjustments based on inflation data provided by the Labour Bureau, which tracks prices in rural areas. According to the Ministry, the Consumer Price Index for Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) is used to determine inflation for key items under the PM-POSHAN basket, including pulses, vegetables, and oil.
The PM-POSHAN scheme serves meals to 11.20 crore students in balvatikas and Classes 1-8 in over 10 lakh schools. In addition to material costs, the Centre also provides around 26 lakh metric tonnes of food grains annually through the Food Corporation of India, covering 100% of the cost and transportation.
After factoring in all components, including food grains, the per-meal cost is ₹12.13 for balvatika and primary school students and ₹17.62 for upper primary students. The enhanced funding for food material costs is part of the government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring nutritional support for millions of students while boosting school participation across the country.
