The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' has approved the proposal to provide financial assistance to 11.8 crore students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of the cooking cost component of the Mid-Day-Meal Scheme, to all eligible children, as a special welfare measure. “This will give a fillip to the Midday Meal programme,” the official statement said.
The Central Government will provide additional funds of about Rs 1200 crore to State Governments and UT Administrations for this purpose.
This one-time special welfare measure of the union government will benefit about 11.8 crore children studying in Class I to 8 in the 11.20 lakh government and government-aided schools across the country.
This is in addition to the Government of India's announcement of distribution of free-of-cost food grains--5 Kg per person per month--to nearly 80 crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY).
“This decision will help safeguard the nutritional levels of children and aid in protecting their immunity during the challenging pandemic times,” the statement added.
