UP’s PM Poshan Push: Cooks Get ₹1,000 Hike, 1.46 Crore Children To Benefit
· Free Press Journal
Lucknow: Food that reaches children's plates from school kitchens is not only nourishment but also the foundation of their health, nutrition and a better future. At the cooks' felicitation and Cashless Chikitsa Card distribution ceremony held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, the Yogi Government also reiterated its commitment to strengthening the dignity, health and financial security of cooks. During the programme, the Basic Education Minister highlighted the department's achievements and directed that welfare initiatives for cooks be implemented on the ground at the earliest.
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Under the PM Poshan Yojana, 1.42 lakh primary and upper primary schools in the state are covered. More than 1.46 crore students are being provided hot, fresh and nutritious meals every day. At the primary level, each child is provided 450 calories of energy and 12 grams of protein daily through 100 grams of food grains, while at the upper primary level, each child receives 700 calories of energy and 20 grams of protein through 150 grams of food grains.
Using its own resources, the State Government provides fresh and seasonal fruits to children once a week. On Wednesdays, children at the primary level are provided 150 millilitres of milk, while those at the upper primary level receive 200 millilitres of milk. Under supplementary nutrition, additional food items such as chikki, jaggery, gram and ramdana laddoos have also been provided. During the financial year 2025-26, these additional food items were distributed every Thursday from December 2025 to March 2026.
Of the approximately 3.53 lakh cooks working under the scheme, 93 percent are women. The State Government increased the honorarium by ₹500 in the financial year 2019-20 and by another ₹500 in 2022-23, raising it to ₹2000 per month. Now, Chief Minister Yogi has decided to provide an additional increase of ₹1000 in the financial year 2026-27. Following this, cooks will receive an honorarium of ₹3000 per month. In addition, ₹500 for two uniforms is being transferred directly to their bank accounts once every year through DBT.
To connect children with nature and enhance the nutritional value of meals, kitchen gardens have been developed in schools. Schools with available space have been provided ₹5000, while schools facing space constraints have been provided ₹2000. Fruits and vegetables grown in these gardens are used in meals as additional nutrition.
A total of 136 centralized kitchens are operational in 25 districts of the state. Through Akshaya Patra Foundation and 127 voluntary organisations, hot and fresh meals are being provided to approximately 10 lakh children. The centralized kitchen of Akshaya Patra Foundation in Varanasi was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in July 2022, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated/launched the Foundation's centralized kitchen in Gorakhpur in June 2026.
To ensure transparency and quality in the scheme, regular social audits are being conducted. During the financial year 2025-26, social audits were conducted in 2,885 schools, while in 2026-27 they are to be conducted in 2,838 schools. District and block-level task forces have been constituted under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate/Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and the scheme is being monitored through an IVRS-based daily monitoring system.
On this occasion, the Additional Chief Secretary, Basic and Secondary Education Department welcomed the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Basic Education Minister and all guests and provided information about the department's achievements. Director General, School Education, Director, Mid-Day Meal Authority, directors of the Education Department, senior officials, teachers and other distinguished representatives were present at the programme.