Government Launches 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 from Varanasi with Focus on Anganwadi Empowerment

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, officially launched the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi. Celebrated nationwide throughout September, this year's National Nutrition Month focuses on the theme "Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari" (Our Anganwadi, Our Responsibility), aiming to transform over 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres across India into vibrant, community-driven hubs for health, nutrition, and early childhood care. The month-long mass awareness campaign prioritizes five strategic themes: promoting dietary diversity and adequate protein intake, ensuring fresh hot cooked meals for young children, enhancing community participation through Anganwadi Management Committees, supporting early stimulation for child development, and expanding awareness of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). Currently, India's network of Anganwadi workers reaches over 7.5 crore children and 1.10 crore pregnant and lactating women, monitored via the technology-driven Poshan Tracker platform. Speaking at the inaugural event, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the crucial role of frontline Anganwadi workers in eradicating malnutrition and improving maternal health at the grassroots level. Minister Annpurna Devi urged citizens, local governance bodies, and civil society to participate actively in making nutrition a Jan Andolan (people's movement) to achieve a malnutrition-free India by 2047.