It has been over four months since schools across Maharashtra reopened after the summer break, but funds under the Prime Minister’s Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana (PM POSHAN), which provides daily midday meals to students from Classes 1 to 8, have not been disbursed yet. This has led to significant financial strain on principals of schools located in rural parts of Maharashtra as they are forced to spend from their pockets to ensure students are served midday meals.

The scheme, which covers students in government-run and aided schools, ensures the supply of food grains by the Government to schools. However, associated costs such as those for fuel, vegetables, and supplementary nutrition are to be reimbursed monthly to schools. Grants amounting to Rs 2.59 per student for Classes 1 to 5 and Rs

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