School Meal Program in 6 new districts
Punjab Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is playing an important role in the development of Punjab and along with this, full efforts are being made to make Punjab digital so that Punjab does not lag behind in development. That is why Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is giving special priority to the future, that is, the needs of children, and for this reason, she launched the School Meal Program, which was initially launched in three districts.
But for the growing needs and good development of children, consideration was given to expanding this program further and this is the reason why this program is being developed even further. The program has been extended to them in schools. This is an important step, the main objective of which is to improve the health of children, meet nutritional deficiencies and improve educational outcomes in primary schools, because when good development is achieved at the primary level and they are given a good environment in which all their growth needs are met, then they will be able to become bright lights of the future.
Today, we will know in our whole tomorrow what are the objectives of the School Meal Program, what are the expected benefits we will get from them and what are the next ones. To find out if your district is included in this program, keep an eye on the article.
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What is a School Meal Program?
A school meal program is an initiative that provides meals to students in schools, aiming to improve their health, well-being, and academic performance. These programs typically offer breakfast, lunch, or snacks, and are often designed to meet specific nutritional standards.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s School Meal Program is a means of providing free food in the form of milk packets to primary school students. This program was approved in 2024, while it was launched on July 1, 2024. The deadline for the end of this program has been set for June 30, 2027. If we consider this program, the total cost of the projects is about Rs 6,92.32 million, while Rs 500 million was initially allocated for it. The School Meal Program has been launched as a pilot project. The main objective of this program is to increase health factors, ensure school attendance of children and address malnutrition.
A fundamental component of this program is that it has been aligned with the Green Punjab Policy and it is not allowing the environment to be polluted by recycling about 130 million bags every month.
Objectives
Provide free daily meals—mainly 175 ml milk packs—to primary school students in selected districts.
- Support children from low-income families, ensuring they receive essential nutrients.
- Combat malnutrition and stunting, promoting better physical and cognitive development.
- Increase school enrollment and attendance.
- Strengthen community confidence in public education.
In the first three districts where this program was started, it provides a packet of milk to four lakh children every day and now it is being expanded to more districts.
First beneficiary districts
The program was initially launched in three districts of South Punjab:
- Dera Ghazi Khan
- Rajanpur
- Muzaffargarh
In the first phase:
- Over 400,000 students received milk packets daily.
- About 40 million milk packets were distributed.
- School enrollment increased from about 361,000 to 416,000, an increase of 55,000 students.
The government saved Rs. 1.78 billion through transparent, competitive procurement.
Comprehensive monitoring and management systems have been implemented to ensure quality.
More Districts to be Included
After the successful launch of the program, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced plans to further expand the program in mid-2025, in which six new districts will be included, especially in South Punjab and Central Punjab. There are new districts is as follows:
- Bahawalnagar,
- Bakhar,
- Dera Ghazi Khan,
- Layyah,
- Mianwali,
- Muzaffargarh.
Through this program, milk, energy bars and other nutritional things etc. will be distributed in the villages and this will be done with the cooperation of schools and communities.
Why these districts?
- Malnutrition and low school attendance in rural and underserved areas
- Focus on districts with significant nutritional deficiencies, especially where child development remains a challenge.
- Alignment with the strategic vision to eliminate regional disparities in health and education.
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How the program works:
District selection:
Priority is given based on nutritional levels, school absenteeism, and socioeconomic indicators.
Enrollment setup:
Local schools are onboarded. Health and school staff receive training.
Food distribution:
Each student in participating primary schools receives a 175ml milk pack daily during class.
Health monitoring:
Regular BMI screening and growth monitoring help assess impact.
Community partnerships:
Schools and parents support self-help and recycling initiatives—such as recycling empty milk packs to raise school funds.
Transparency and monitoring:
Tender-based purchasing and monitoring ensure lower costs and greater accountability.
Why is it important?
It is important because:
- Nutrition and learning are closely linked: well-fed children perform better in school.
- This program tackles two key challenges simultaneously – malnutrition and low educational retention.
- By targeting southern Punjab and underserved areas, this effort helps bridge persistent regional gaps.
- Savings from efficient purchasing can be reallocated to improve school infrastructure or educational materials.
- Community engagement and recycling practices increase sustainability and local ownership.
Final Thoughts
If we review the basic objectives of this program and its benefits, this program will look like a gift to us that is helping to meet the nutritional needs of children. If you are a part of Hum Ach Inta Allah Hum, then you too should take advantage of this opportunity. Your child can benefit from a lot of attention and strong health outcomes in a better nutrition class. If your district name is not listed, stay tuned. Future steps will bring the program closer to you.
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