Pune: The Directorate of Primary Education has resumed the process of distributing subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana. Schools and central kitchen organizations will need to submit detailed proposals to claim the pending and current year’s subsidies for nutritional food items like eggs and bananas provided to students of classes 1 to 8.

For several months, many districts and central kitchen organizations across the state have been awaiting these subsidies. The Director of Primary Education, Sharad Gosavi, has instructed district primary education officers and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s education officer to collect and present all required details. Only after verifying the proposals and ensuring compliance will the subsidies be released.

Verification and Attendance Requirements

Headmasters must certify that beneficiaries have received the food items. The subsidy amount will be disbursed after reviewing details, including the previously distributed advance amount and the outstanding balance. Schools are also required to regularly update student attendance data and information about nutritional meals on the MDM portal to ensure eligibility for the subsidy.

Directives for Nutritional Initiatives

Under the innovative school initiative for the 2023-24 academic year (November 2023 to March 2024), schools were instructed to provide eggs to students once a week. For the 2024-25 period, it has been mandated that eggs be provided in the form of egg pulao once every two weeks under the three-tier meal system.