The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the ninth edition of Rashtriya Poshan Maah at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi on September 9.
The launch event was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi, Minister of State Savitri Thakur and Uttar Pradesh Minister for Women Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition Baby Rani Maurya.
The month-long campaign will be observed from September 9 to October 8 across the country. This year’s theme, “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”, places Anganwadi Centres at the centre of India’s nutrition movement and seeks to encourage communities to take greater responsibility for the functioning of these grassroots institutions.
The campaign brings together nutrition, maternal health, childcare and early childhood development, reflecting the government’s broader approach towards addressing malnutrition.
Focus on dietary diversity and protein intake
One of the main priorities of Poshan Maah 2026 is to encourage families to adopt more diverse and nutritious diets.
The campaign will promote the inclusion of a wider variety of locally available foods, with particular attention to adequate protein intake. The emphasis is on helping families understand that good nutrition is not simply about eating enough food but also about consuming the right combination of nutrients.
Anganwadi Centres will play an important role in spreading awareness about nutritious diets and demonstrating how affordable, locally available foods can be incorporated into everyday meals.
The campaign will also encourage communities to make greater use of seasonal foods and locally available nutritious produce. Through nutrition awareness activities and community events, families will be encouraged to understand the importance of balanced diets, particularly for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Fresh hot cooked meals get special attention
The quality of meals served at Anganwadi Centres is another major focus of this year’s campaign.
The government is placing emphasis on fresh Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) being provided to eligible beneficiaries under the nutrition programme. The initiative is intended to improve the nutritional quality of meals served to children and other beneficiaries while encouraging communities to pay greater attention to food quality and nutrition.
Anganwadi Centres are also providing Take Home Ration (THR) to eligible beneficiaries.
During Poshan Maah, awareness activities will highlight the importance of these services and encourage communities to participate in monitoring their implementation.
The government believes that stronger community involvement can help ensure that nutrition services are delivered effectively and reach the people for whom they are intended.
Yogi highlights role of Anganwadi Centres
Addressing the launch event, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the growing role of Anganwadi Centres in strengthening nutrition services and supporting the objectives of Poshan Abhiyaan.
He said sustained coordination between government departments, active community participation and the commitment of frontline workers would be essential to achieving the goal of a malnutrition-free India.
Yogi also highlighted changes taking place in Uttar Pradesh’s Anganwadi network. According to him, Anganwadi Centres in the state have been upgraded into more vibrant community institutions with improved infrastructure and learning environments.
He also pointed to the increasing use of technology by Anganwadi Workers. Smartphones are being used for real-time data entry and digital monitoring, with the aim of improving the delivery and tracking of services.
The Chief Minister said Anganwadi Centres were providing Hot Cooked Meals and Take Home Ration to eligible beneficiaries, helping support the nutritional needs of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
He also stressed the long-term importance of investment in nutrition, saying healthier children and stronger families would ultimately contribute to a stronger nation.
More than 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres providing services
Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi said the government is working to improve nutrition outcomes through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
According to the minister, more than 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres are currently providing nutrition, health and early childhood care services across the country.
These centres are serving more than 7.5 crore children, around 1.10 crore pregnant and lactating women and nearly 16 lakh adolescent girls.
The figures underline the scale of India’s Anganwadi network and its importance in delivering nutrition and early childhood services directly to communities.
Anganwadi Workers and other frontline personnel remain the key link between government schemes and beneficiaries, making their training, resources and ability to monitor services important to the success of nutrition programmes.
Government focuses on first 1,000 days of life
Annpurna Devi also highlighted the importance of the first 1,000 days of life, covering pregnancy and the early years of a child’s development.
Nutrition and care during this period can have a lasting impact on a child’s physical growth, brain development and overall well-being.
The government is therefore working to strengthen Anganwadi infrastructure and services during this critical period.
The minister said the government is upgrading 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres into Saksham Anganwadis. Around 24,000 such centres have been approved in Uttar Pradesh.
The upgraded centres are intended to provide better environments for nutrition services, early childhood care and education while strengthening the overall quality of services available to children and families.
PMMVY completes 10 years
This year’s Poshan Maah also marks 10 years of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
The maternity benefit scheme is aimed at providing financial support to eligible pregnant and lactating women. According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, more than Rs 21,000 crore has been transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer to more than 4.65 crore mothers across the country under the scheme.
The government is using the anniversary of PMMVY to increase awareness about the scheme and encourage eligible women to access its benefits.
The focus on maternity benefits is also part of the larger nutrition strategy because maternal health and nutrition have a direct connection with the health and development of children.
During Poshan Maah, outreach activities will seek to improve awareness about eligibility, benefits and access to maternity support.
Community participation to become a bigger part of nutrition drive
The government is also seeking greater community ownership of nutrition services.
Minister Annpurna Devi called for communities to participate actively in promoting dietary diversity, adequate protein intake, fresh hot cooked meals, sanitation and early childhood development.
She urged citizens to turn nutrition into a genuine Jan Andolan, or people’s movement, as part of the broader vision of a Suposhit Bharat and Viksit Bharat@2047.
Minister of State Savitri Thakur also called upon communities, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Self-Help Groups and families to participate actively in the nutrition movement.
The focus on community involvement reflects the government’s view that improving nutrition requires more than the delivery of government schemes. Families and local institutions also need to understand nutrition requirements and participate in monitoring and improving services.
Anganwadi Management Committees to play key role
Anganwadi Management Committees are expected to have an important role during the campaign.
These committees provide a platform for community representatives and local stakeholders to participate in the functioning and monitoring of Anganwadi Centres.
The government wants stronger community oversight of nutrition services and greater accountability at the local level.
The campaign also focuses on making information about nutrition services more accessible to beneficiaries. Menu boards and other forms of public information can help communities understand what services and meals are supposed to be available at their local Anganwadi Centres.
The objective is to make communities active stakeholders rather than passive recipients of government services.
Early childhood development linked with nutrition
Poshan Maah 2026 also highlights the close relationship between nutrition and early childhood development.
The government is seeking to ensure that children receive not only nutritious food but also appropriate stimulation, care and opportunities for early learning.
Anganwadi Centres have an important role in providing early childhood care and education, particularly for children in the years before they enter formal schooling.
The campaign will therefore promote awareness about age-appropriate learning, responsive caregiving and the importance of identifying developmental concerns at an early stage.
The broader approach recognises that a child’s development depends on a combination of adequate nutrition, healthcare, stimulation, emotional support and a supportive home environment.
Poshan Mela showcases local nutrition practices
A Poshan Mela was also organised at the Varanasi launch venue.
The event showcased locally available nutritious foods, nutrition-related innovations and good practices adopted by Anganwadi Centres.
Beneficiary testimonials were presented along with films highlighting the delivery of Hot Cooked Meals, Take Home Ration, home visits and early childhood care and education.
The dignitaries also interacted with selected Anganwadi Workers whose centres were featured in the films.
Such events are intended to demonstrate how nutrition programmes are being implemented on the ground and highlight examples that can potentially be replicated in other areas.
Poshan Abhiyaan grows into a people’s movement
The government said that since the launch of Poshan Abhiyaan in 2018, more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities have been conducted through Rashtriya Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwada and other community engagement initiatives.
The figure reflects the scale of mobilisation around nutrition over the past several years.
Poshan Abhiyaan was designed to bring nutrition to the centre of India’s development agenda by encouraging coordination between different government departments and involving communities in efforts to address malnutrition.
Over time, the programme has expanded beyond awareness about food to include maternal nutrition, child development, sanitation, healthy lifestyles and behavioural change.
Five major areas of focus this year
During Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026, activities across the country will focus on five broad areas.
The first is dietary diversity and adequate protein intake, with families being encouraged to adopt healthier and more varied diets.
The second is the quality and availability of fresh Hot Cooked Meals at Anganwadi Centres, alongside continued support through Take Home Ration.
The third is community ownership through Anganwadi Management Committees and greater transparency around Supplementary Nutrition Programme services.
The fourth is the link between nutrition and early stimulation, with an emphasis on childhood development and early learning.
The fifth is the completion of 10 years of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and efforts to expand awareness and access to maternity benefits.
Together, these priorities are intended to address nutrition from multiple angles rather than focusing only on food supplementation.
Technology supporting nutrition services
Technology is also becoming an important part of India’s nutrition delivery system.
Anganwadi Workers are increasingly using smartphones and digital platforms to record information, monitor beneficiaries and support real-time reporting.
At the grassroots level, digital monitoring can help authorities track service delivery and identify gaps more quickly.
The use of technology, however, is being combined with community participation and frontline engagement. The government has stressed that institutional and technological improvements must ultimately translate into better-quality services at individual Anganwadi Centres.
Towards a Suposhit Bharat
Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 comes with a broader objective of making nutrition a shared responsibility.
With more than 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres serving millions of children, mothers and adolescents, the Anganwadi network remains one of the most important platforms for taking nutrition and early childhood services to communities.
The theme “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari” seeks to deepen this connection by encouraging citizens, families and local institutions to participate in the functioning of these centres.
The campaign’s focus on dietary diversity, protein intake, fresh hot cooked meals, maternal health, sanitation and early childhood development reflects a more comprehensive approach to nutrition.
As the month-long campaign continues until October 8, the government is seeking to turn awareness into sustained community action. The larger objective is to improve nutrition outcomes, strengthen maternal and child health and build a healthier population as India moves towards its vision of Suposhit Bharat and Viksit Bharat@2047.
