Yogi govt to provide hot, nutritious meals for children at Anganwadi centres from Shardiya Navratri

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 10 : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday held a review meeting of the Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahar Vibhag and the Women Welfare and Child Development Department and instructed officials to start the 'Hot Cooked Meal Scheme' on the auspicious occasion of Shardiya Navratri to enhance the nutritional status of children aged three to six years.
He also directed officials to make efforts to boost enrollment and attendance at Anganwadi centers.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stressed the need for Anganwadi centers to operate on the lines of pre-primary.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister issued directives to relocate Anganwadi centers currently being operated at rented spaces into their own buildings and expedite the recruitment of Anganwadi workers and assistants on vacant posts.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during the meeting, issued a directive to commence the Hot Cooked Meal Scheme during Shardiya Navratri, aimed at providing nourishing meals to the children attending Anganwadi centers. This initiative will offer hot-cooked meals and seasonal fruits to children aged three to six years.
Additionally, the Chief Minister emphasized the need to ensure the availability of eating utensils at the municipal and gram panchayat levels. He also proposed the inclusion of Shree Anna in the hot cooked meals, as well as the provision of coarse grain biscuits and other essentials for the children.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister gave instructions to shift 12,800 Anganwadi centers currently running on rent in urban areas to their own buildings. He emphasized that Anganwadi centers should be established alongside parks in residential areas. These buildings should be built with the help of CSR funds from private companies, urban development funds, and contributions from affluent individuals. In case of insufficient funding, additional financial support could be sought from the government.
He said that Anganwadi centers should be operated on the lines of pre-primary. For this, 24,473 vacant posts of Anganwadi workers and 26007 posts of Anganwadi assistants should be filled soon.
During the review meeting, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasized the need to ensure that the 'take-home ration' scheme benefits all its intended beneficiaries without exception. To achieve this, the number of nutritious food production units should be increased.
It was informed by the department that currently, 163 nutrition production units are operating across the state, while tenders were issued for 204 units. In this regard, the CM gave instructions to operate the remaining units as soon as possible.
Moreover, to ensure that the nutritional benefits reach the right beneficiary, Chief Minister Adityanath proposed the inclusion of QR codes on the take-home ration packets. This measure not only enhances transparency but also ensures the timely delivery to the intended beneficiaries.
Additionally, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed officials to incorporate nutritious grains such as millet, ragi, and other coarse grains into the take-home ration to improve its nutritional value.
Chief Minister Adityanath also directed District Magistrates, Nodal Officers, and department officials to conduct monthly inspections of Government Observation Homes to improve their conditions. He also encouraged ministers and officials from the department to visit one commissionerate every week.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of enhancing facilities in Government Observation Homes and urged the department to complete all necessary work within a month. He said that he would review the progress in the proposed works next month.