Hans News Service Varanasi

UttarPradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said anganwadi centres and basic education schools will serve as the foundation for building a healthy, educated and self-reliant India.

He was speaking at the launch of the ninth Poshan Maah programme here.

The Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) is observed every September as a dedicated platform to mobilise communities and reinforce key nutrition, health and care-giving behaviour among pregnant women, lactating mothers, children, adolescents, and their families.

Adityanath said the government’s focus on nutrition and strengthening anganwadi centres reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of laying a strong foundation for India’s development.

He said the transformation in the functioning of anganwadi centres in Uttar Pradesh was visible during his visits to districts, where he regularly inspects Bal Vatika facilities and observes activities there.

“The change we see today is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. He took steps in 2014 to strengthen the foundation of the country, building on the work he had implemented on the ground in Gujarat since 2001,” Adityanath said. “The same vision that began in Gujarat in 2001 is today being implemented across the country, and Uttar Pradesh is also moving forward in this direction,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with the concept of Ram Rajya, the chief minister said it envisioned a society free from poverty and deprivation, where people were healthy and capable of contributing to the creation of a strong nation.

He questioned why such a vision had not translated into effective ground-level action before 2014, particularly for poor families, malnourished children and pregnant women whose health was directly linked to India’s future.

Adityanath said the launch of the ninth nutrition month, coinciding with the completion of 10 years of the Matru Vandana Yojana, was an opportunity to further strengthen efforts aimed at improving nutrition and maternal and child welfare. Referring to the condition of anganwadi centres before 2017, he said many were in dilapidated and unhygienic conditions, lacked drinking water and toilets, and did not provide hot meals or nutrition supplements on time.

“Before 2017, many anganwadi centres were in a pathetic condition. Children would carry their own mats to sit on; there was no proper drinking water, no toilet and no hot meal,” he said.