The Punjab Food Authority (PFA), in partnership with the Labour and Human Resources Department, has launched Phase II of the School Meal Program, providing nutritious meals to 14,100 students across 36 schools in the province.
The program was inaugurated at Worker Welfare Primary School in Nishtar Town by Provincial Minister Khawaja Muhammad Mansha Ullah Butt and PFA Director General Asim Javaid. The minister said healthy children are key to a bright future, calling the initiative a timely intervention.
Under the program, meals will be provided for three months to 30 government primary schools and six labor welfare schools. The menu includes meat, pulses, vegetables, and fruits, and students’ health will be monitored before and after the program.
The initiative also aims to raise awareness about balanced diets and healthy eating habits among students. Plans are in progress to expand the program to 73 additional labor welfare schools, and nutrition committees will be set up in each school to ensure proper monitoring.
Javaid cited the National Nutritional Survey, noting that 40 percent of children face stunting and 30 percent are under-height for their age, highlighting the urgent need for intervention. He urged parents, teachers, and communities to support the program to ensure healthier futures for children.
