Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, 5 October 2026, directed that district-level authorities be empowered to make localised decisions to ensure students receive fresh, nutritious, and high-quality meals on time under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme. The directive came during a review meeting of the scheme held in Mumbai, where Fadnavis called on the School Education Department and the Women & Child Development (WCD) Department to jointly formulate a policy and issue necessary guidelines.

Key Directives from the Chief Minister

Fadnavis instructed officials to examine the feasibility of extending PM POSHAN benefits to students up to Class 10, against the current ceiling of Class 8, and to submit a formal proposal. He emphasised that central kitchens should be used in urban areas and wherever practical in rural regions, while Gram Panchayats should step in with alternative arrangements in remote and tribal areas where kitchen-to-school delivery times are longer.

The Chief Minister also stressed that meal distribution responsibilities should, wherever feasible, be assigned to local Self-Help Groups (SHGs). District Collectors, Zilla Parishad CEOs, and Municipal Commissioners were directed to take decisions based on local needs, with clear criteria defined for food quality, service standards, and payment systems.

Nutrition, Millets, and Local Food Habits

Fadnavis called on District-Level Nutrition Committees to plan the inclusion of locally available, protein-rich food items in school menus, with Zilla Parishad CEOs tasked with coordinating the process. He specifically emphasised the inclusion of millet-based items and other nutritious options, keeping local food habits and student preferences in mind — in line with the Centre's broader push for millet adoption.

Notably, Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal suggested that refined flour (maida) should not be used in school meals. The meeting was also informed that 12 standardised recipes — including different pulaos, khichdi, usal, and dal-rice preparations — have already been developed to provide variety.

What the Ministers Said

School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse suggested expanding the scope of central kitchens and providing funds to Gram Panchayats to delegate local nutrition responsibilities. He also requested that a proposal be sent to the Central Government to reduce the proportion of rice in meals and increase the share of other foodgrains. Bhuse added that health cards are being prepared for school students and that health check-ups will now be conducted in the presence of parents.

Women & Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare stated that, through her department, meal provision for 30 Anganwadis in urban areas is being entrusted to ISKCON and that the coverage would be expanded after reviewing its effectiveness. She recommended granting decision-making authority to District Collector-led Nutrition Committees and suggested using loose, fresh food ingredients tailored to local needs instead of pre-mixes or fortified items.

Scheme Coverage and Nutritional Standards

Under the PM POSHAN Scheme, the School Education Department currently covers students from primary classes up to Class 8 across 85,206 eligible schools — spanning state, central, local-body, private-aided, and partially aided institutions. As per Central government guidelines, students in Classes 1 to 5 receive meals providing 450 calories and 12 grams of protein, while students in Classes 6 to 8 receive 700 calories and 20 grams of protein daily.

A presentation was made by Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh on behalf of the School Education Department, Commissioner Madhavi Sardeshmukh for Integrated Child Development Services, and representatives of ISKCON regarding the Annamrita Foundation's central kitchens. The joint policy is to be presented to the Cabinet after incorporating inputs from District Collectors and Zilla Parishad CEOs.