Damoh, Dec 20 (IANS) The Union government's Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) scheme aimed at providing hot and fresh cooked meal for students upto class 8 in 'Anganwadi centres and government-run schools are serving their purpose in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Madhya Pradesh.

The expression of children at a government-run 'Sandipani' (earlier known as CM RISE) school located in Tendukheda village of Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh was an evident of it, IANS reported on Saturday.

Students sitting in long queues were eating 'pudi-sabzi' and dal in their plates.

"Yahan achha khana milta hai. Isliye hum roj school aate hain (we get good meal here so we come to school everyday)", said a class 5 student Shikha Lodhi, adding that, "Aaj hum poodi-sabzi aur dal kha rahein hain (today we are eating poodi-sabji and dal)".

Several other students on this occasion at Damoh's 'Sandipani' Vidyalaya spoke to IANS were happy that they are getting different hot meals every day, as per the menu under the Mid-day Meal (MDM) scheme, which is mandatory to follow at every government-run schools in the state for students upto class 8.

Madan Singh Lodhi, a teacher at Sandipani school in Tendukheda, said that children are getting meal every day (on school day) as per the menu fixed by the state government.

He said, "Saturday's menu is poodi, sabji and tur dal. We ensure that the food menu decided under the Mid-day meal is followed every day here."

Lodhi also told IANS that whenever there is some issue, the school management shares it with the district administration.

"Mid-day meal is being cooked by women from a self-help group. We also ensure children are not only being given hot meals every day but that also should be fresh and hygienic and it is served at a clean area in the school premises."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 'PM POSHAN' scheme along with 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar' during his visit to Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district on his birthday on September 17 this year.

The Central welfare scheme aims at providing nutritional support and enhancing school participation of students.

PM Modi had then also laid the foundation stone for India's first PM MITRA Park in Dhar's Bhainsola village.

The textile hub (PM MITRA Park) is part of the Prime Minister's 5F Vision -- Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion, and Fashion to Foreign -- which seeks to integrate India's textile value chain.

--IANS

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