Even kids’ nutrition used to be influenced by liquor mafia: CM Yogi Adityanath

Adityanath said the campaign should focus on dietary diversity and adequate protein intake, fresh and hot-cooked meals at Anganwadi centres, community ownership and accountability, early childhood education and the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.

“A balanced, diverse diet is essential for children’s physical and mental development. Avoid excessive salt or sweetness in food. Instead of giving only moong dal khichdi, adding carrots and other vegetables improves the taste, colour and nutrition of the meal. The nutrition campaign will succeed only when children eat their food happily,” he said.

According to the chief minister, around 1.90 lakh Anganwadi centres have been sanctioned in the state, with services being provided through 897 Child Development Projects. Nutrition services reach around 1.56 crore beneficiaries every month, he said.

Around 35.46 lakh children are being provided hot-cooked meals, while the weight, stunting and health of around 46 lakh children are being regularly monitored, Adityanath said, stressing the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, beginning with pregnancy.

Linking nutrition with school infrastructure, Adityanath said 1.36 lakh schools had been provided with improved buildings and basic facilities under Operation Kayakalp, with a focus on drinking water, separate toilets for boys and girls and a better educational environment.He said a study had earlier found that the absence of basic facilities, including food, drinking water and toilets, contributed to children, particularly girls, dropping out of school between Classes 3 and 7. Strengthening these facilities had helped improve the situation, he said.

Adityanath also said funds had been provided for government and government-aided inter colleges that were over 40 years old, and around 2,100 inter colleges had been revived.

Union Ministers Annapurna Devi and Savitri Thakur were also present at the event.