New Delhi: The Central government on Wednesday launched the ninth Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 in Varanasi, kicking off a month-long nationwide Jan Andolan aimed at strengthening community participation in nutrition and improving engagement with Anganwadi Centres.
The campaign seeks to promote collective action on nutrition, maternal health and early childhood development while bringing communities closer to grassroots nutrition and childcare services delivered through the Anganwadi network.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, addressing the launch event, highlighted the role of Anganwadi Centres in advancing the objectives of Poshan Abhiyaan and strengthening nutrition services at the community level.
He stressed that sustained coordination among government departments, greater community participation and the commitment of frontline workers would be crucial to achieving the goal of a malnutrition-free India.
Adityanath said Anganwadi Centres in Uttar Pradesh have been upgraded and renovated as vibrant community institutions, with improved infrastructure and learning environments for children.
He also highlighted the use of technology in strengthening service delivery. Anganwadi Workers have been provided smartphones, enabling real-time data entry and digital monitoring of services.
According to the Chief Minister, Anganwadi Centres are regularly providing Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) and Take Home Ration (THR) to eligible beneficiaries, helping address nutritional requirements among children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The Varanasi event will also showcase nutrition-focused innovations, locally available nutritious foods and best practices adopted by Anganwadi Centres, providing a platform to highlight community-driven approaches to improving nutrition outcomes.
The government said more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities have been carried out through Rashtriya Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwada and other community engagement initiatives, underlining the scale of public participation in the nutrition movement.
A key component of the government’s nutrition monitoring system is the Poshan Tracker, launched on March 1, 2021. The digital platform has emerged as the primary governance tool for monitoring infrastructure, service delivery and nutritional outcomes under Anganwadi Services.
The Poshan Tracker enables near real-time monitoring of key activities, including the functioning of Anganwadi Centres, children’s daily attendance, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) activities and growth monitoring.
The platform covers pregnant women, lactating mothers, children up to six years of age and adolescent girls, helping officials track service delivery and identify gaps at the grassroots level.
As of July 31, 2026, India’s nutrition delivery network comprised nearly 13.99 lakh Anganwadi Centres supported by around 13.30 lakh Anganwadi Workers. Together, the network serves nearly 8.94 crore beneficiaries across the country.
The launch of Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 is expected to further intensify efforts to turn nutrition into a sustained community movement, with a focus on preventive care, maternal and child health, early childhood development and stronger last-mile delivery of services.
–IANS