Schools Given the Option to Provide Egg Pulao, Sweet Khichdi, and Bajra Sattu in Student Meals Information from the Department of School Education

Mumbai, 31st: Under the centrally funded Prime Minister’s Nutrition Power Creation Scheme, eligible schools in the state are providing nutritional meals to students from classes 1 to 8. The central government has instructed schools to implement a “Sneh Bhojan” program, aimed at increasing public participation and providing nutritious and diverse meals to students. As part of this initiative, school management committees have been given the option to include egg pulao, sweet khichdi, and bajra sattu as part of the meals, as per the Department of School Education.

Under the Prime Minister’s Nutrition Power Creation Scheme, students in the primary grades (1st to 5th) receive meals providing 450 calories and 12 grams of protein, while students in the higher primary grades (6th to 8th) receive meals providing 700 calories and 20 grams of protein. Currently, the central government has set a daily meal expenditure limit of Rs. 5.45 per student for primary students and Rs. 8.17 per student for higher primary students.

The central government had previously issued instructions to explore the inclusion of locally available food grains and ingredients in the meals. Following this, a committee of experts in health, nutrition, and education was formed to improve the quality and nutritional value of the meals by incorporating locally available grains and other ingredients.

Based on the committee’s recommendations, a government decision on June 11, 2024, introduced a new menu to bring diversity to the students’ nutritional meals. This includes three structured meal types: rice and lentils/beans, sprouted grains, and sweet dishes such as rice kheer and bajra sattu.

To improve these recipes, suggestions were received from elected representatives, organizations involved in supplying meals through central kitchen systems, local institutions, and cooks and helpers working under the scheme. Considering these suggestions and the expenditure limits set by the central government, a new government decision was issued on January 28, 2025, incorporating the revised recipes into the program.

Under this decision, the recipes for Egg Pulao (Item 11) and Sweet Khichdi/Bajra Sattu (Item 12) are offered as optional alternatives. Previously, eggs and bananas were provided to students through the innovative initiatives under this scheme. The central government has also directed an increase in the use of millet to provide nutritional benefits to students. Accordingly, instructions have been issued to provide millet bars to students in aspirational districts for the fiscal year 2024-25, to offer more nutritious meals.

Additionally, the scheme provides for supplementary nutrition once a week alongside regular meals. As part of this, the food preparation systems in schools are ensuring that students receive supplementary nutrition, such as fruits, soy biscuits, milk, chikki, rajgira ladoo, jaggery, peanuts, dried fruits, and puffed rice, at least once a week. This was clarified by the Department of School Education.