Delhi education minister felicitates contributors to PM POSHAN scheme

New Delhi, Sept 9 (PTI) Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday felicitated agencies, districts, officers, and employees for their contributions to the successful implementation of the Pradhan Mantri POSHAN (Mid-day Meal) Scheme.

The awards were presented at an event held at Shaktinagar School, where participants of the first-ever cooking competition were also honoured, according to a statement.

In the competition, the first prize was awarded to Akshaya Patra Foundation, the second to Ekta Shakti Foundation, and the third to Stree Shakti. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) was recognized as the best implementing agency in Delhi, it stated.

Sood praised the winners' dedication and efforts toward strengthening the scheme in the national capital and said the initiative not only helps address classroom hunger but also supports better learning outcomes and promotes social equality.

Highlighting the focus on nutrition, Sood said, "We are organizing this culinary competition for the first time in Delhi. We have included two types of food -- porridge-based and millet-based dishes. Although porridge is a healthy option, children often avoid it. Through this competition, we aim to experiment with millet-based foods to make nutritious meals more appealing." He added the PM POSHAN scheme is not merely about feeding children; it is about instilling healthy eating habits, encouraging a balanced lifestyle, and fostering social harmony.

Referring to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's health initiatives, Sood said, "The Prime Minister has made personal health a national priority. Addressing concerns like obesity and unbalanced diets from the ramparts of the Red Fort shows that children's health is no longer a private issue but a national concern." The Education minister mentioned that the centrally sponsored scheme provides a hot cooked meal daily to all eligible students without discrimination.

"Currently, the scheme benefits 16.6 lakh students in 2,793 schools across Delhi. It is implemented through four agencies -- MCD, DCB, Education Department and NDMC -- with meals prepared in 55 centralised kitchens. From the 2024-25 academic year, millets have been added to the menu to promote healthy and sustainable food grains," he added. PTI SHB NB