The government is providing hot and nutritious meals to about 11 crore children across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme. In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said the scheme is one of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs to all children studying in Bal Vatika and classes 1 to 8 of government and government-aided schools. He said, the Scheme covers about 11 crore children in more than 10.35 lakh schools in all the States and Union Territories. Mr Chaudhary said, under the scheme, the central government provides 100 per cent assistance for cost of foodgrains, transportation cost and cost of Management Monitoring and Evolution. He said, during 2024-25, foodgrains to the tune of 26 lakh metric tonnes at an approximate cost of nine thousand crore rupees have been supplied by the Central Government through Food Corporation of India.