Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has greenlit an initiative to improve the nutritional health of schoolchildren by introducing three nutrient-packed ladoos per week under the PM POSHAN Scheme. Starting April 1, 2025, students from Classes I to X in government and government-aided schools will receive these ladoos—made from groundnut, sesame, millet, and jaggery—on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays during morning assemblies. Priced at Rs. 3.50 each, the ladoos aim to provide a rich source of fiber, iron, healthy fats, and energy.
In a directive to all district Collectors, the School and Mass Education Department outlined the plan, stating, “These ladoos, prepared with millet, groundnut, sesame, and jaggery, are designed to enhance the energy and nutrition levels of students enrolled from Class I to X under the PM POSHAN Scheme.” The department has tasked Cooks-cum-Helpers (CCHs) stationed at schools with preparing the ladoos, leveraging their training from a capacity-building program held between April and July 2023.
The department urged Collectors to guide District Education Officers (DEOs) in issuing instructions and taking necessary steps to roll out this supplementary nutrition program. “A detailed list of approximate student numbers will follow in a separate communication to facilitate implementation,” the letter added. Each ladoo, costing Rs. 3.50 per student, will adhere to a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure quality and hygiene.
Under the SOP, headmasters are responsible for procuring raw materials—such as millet, groundnut, sesame, and jaggery—from local markets on a weekly or fortnightly basis, verifying product authenticity and expiry dates to guarantee quality. These ingredients must be stored in airtight containers to maintain freshness. CCHs are instructed to maintain strict hygiene, keeping their hands clean and using sanitized, dry containers for preparation and storage. The recipe for these nutrition-rich ladoos is accessible on the Odisha Millet Mission website.
To preserve quality, ladoos must be prepared either on the distribution day or the day prior. If made in advance, they should be stored hygienically in airtight containers, with a maximum shelf life of 30 days. This initiative reflects Odisha’s commitment to leveraging local, nutrient-dense ingredients to support the health and development of its young learners.
