Gujarat government’s nutrition scheme provides meals to 40 lakh students

The Gujarat government’s Mukhyamantri Paushtik Alpahar Yojana provides nutritional supplements to students in 32,200 primary schools. The scheme serves over 40 lakh students from Balvatika to Class 8 making Gujarat the first State to implement such a comprehensive supplementary nutrition programme alongside the existing PM Poshan mid-day meal scheme, officials at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Saturday.

The programme provides daily snacks that contain approximately 200 kilocalories and 6 grams of protein per serving. “The nutritional supplements include traditional food items such as sukhdi, chana chaat, mixed pulses, and millet-based snacks. These items are rotated according to a fixed schedule to ensure nutritional diversity and cultural appropriateness,” they said. All snacks are prepared following standardised recipes and strict safety protocols established by the State nutrition department, officials added.

The scheme operates with an allocated budget of ₹617.67 crore for the 2025-26 financial year under the Suposhit Gujarat Mission. “Implementation requires coordination between multiple government departments including education, health, and local self-governance institutions. The monitoring system includes regular quality checks of food ingredients, preparation processes, and distribution mechanisms to ensure effective delivery across all implementation sites,” they said.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel introduced the scheme as part of the State’s focus on integrated child development. “The implementation framework involves school management committees, local health workers, and nutrition experts who work together to maintain programme quality and coverage,” the officials added.