SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir conducted 37,354 social audits under the PM POSHAN scheme between 2021-22 and 2025-26, while Ladakh carried out 1,068, according to data placed before the Lok Sabha by the Union Ministry of Education.
The figures were provided by Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1180, raised by Shri Shyamkumar Daulat Barve and answered on July 27, 2026.
JK’s total of 37,354 social audits was the third-highest among all States and Union Territories listed in the parliamentary reply, behind Madhya Pradesh with 1,01,150 and Chhattisgarh with 89,207. It was also substantially higher than the figures reported by other major States, including West Bengal (16,765), Gujarat (20,537) and Uttar Pradesh (7,176).
Ladakh’s 1,068 social audits placed it below JK but above several Union Territories, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands (129), Chandigarh (113) and Lakshadweep (24). Delhi reported 1,327 audits, while Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu recorded 372 and Puducherry 586.
Under the existing PM POSHAN guidelines, States and Union Territories are required to conduct social audits in at least 20 schools or 2 per cent of schools in every district, whichever is higher. The Union Ministry said responsibility for acting on audit findings and ensuring compliance rests with the respective States and Union Territories.
The Ministry of Education said the overall responsibility for providing hot and nutritious meals to children enrolled in Bal Vatika and Classes I to VIII in government and government-aided schools rests with State Governments and Union Territory administrations, as education is on the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
The Union Government said the material cost under PM POSHAN was increased by 9.50 per cent with effect from May 1, 2025, based on the inflation index provided by the Labour Bureau. The revised material cost is Rs 6.78 per student per day for Bal Vatika and primary classes and Rs 10.17 per student per day for upper primary classes.
According to the Ministry, the material cost covers items including pulses, vegetables, cooking oil, spices and fuel.
The Ministry further said NITI Aayog evaluated the PM POSHAN scheme in 2025-26 through an independent third-party agency. The assessment concluded that the scheme had a positive impact on child nutrition and learning outcomes.
Under the prescribed nutritional norms, primary school children are to receive 450 calories and 12 grams of protein per day, while upper primary students are entitled to 700 calories and 20 grams of protein. The daily food norms include 100 grams of foodgrains, 20 grams of pulses and 50 grams of vegetables for primary classes, compared with 150 grams, 30 grams and 75 grams respectively for upper primary classes.
The scheme also prescribes 5 grams of oil and fat per primary-level child and 7.5 grams for upper primary students, with salt and spices provided as required.
The Union Government said the scheme has a multi-tier monitoring mechanism, including an Empowered Committee chaired by the Union Education Minister, a Programme Approval Board headed by the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, State-level committees chaired by Chief Secretaries and district-level committees headed by District Collectors.
The PM POSHAN guidelines also provide for quarterly monitoring by a district-level committee chaired by the senior-most Member of Parliament from the concerned district. At the local level, Gram Panchayats, Gram Sabhas, Village Education Committees, Parent-Teacher Associations and School Management Committees monitor meal quality and regularity, hygiene, procurement of ingredients and fuel, menu diversity, and social and gender equality.
The Ministry said it had issued detailed guidelines on food quality, safety and hygiene and advised all States and Union Territories to comply with them.
From the financial year 2026-27, the Union Government has also introduced SNA-SPARSH for releasing funds under PM POSHAN, following directions of the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. According to the Ministry, the system is intended to facilitate timely submission and processing of fund-release proposals and improve financial management under the scheme.
