VARANASI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said anganwadi centres and basic education schools would form the foundation for creating a healthy, educated and self-reliant India.
Adityanath made the remarks while inaugurating the ninth edition of the Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) in Varanasi. The month-long campaign, observed every September, seeks to strengthen awareness and community participation around nutrition, healthcare and caregiving for pregnant women, lactating mothers, children and adolescents.
The chief minister said the government’s efforts to strengthen anganwadi centres were in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of creating a strong foundation for the country’s development.
He said the improvement in anganwadi centres across Uttar Pradesh was evident during his visits to various districts, where he regularly inspected Bal Vatika facilities and interacted with activities being conducted there.
“The change we see today is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. He took steps in 2014 to strengthen the foundation of the country, building on the work he had implemented on the ground in Gujarat since 2001,” Adityanath said.
“The same vision that began in Gujarat in 2001 is today being implemented across the country, and Uttar Pradesh is also moving forward in this direction,” he added.
Drawing a parallel with the idea of Ram Rajya, Adityanath said it envisaged a society free from poverty and deprivation, where citizens remained healthy and capable of contributing to nation-building.
He questioned why this vision had not resulted in adequate action on the ground before 2014, particularly for poor families, malnourished children and pregnant women whose wellbeing, he said, was directly connected with the country’s future.
The chief minister said the launch of the ninth Poshan Maah also coincided with the completion of 10 years of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, providing an opportunity to intensify efforts towards maternal and child nutrition and welfare.
Recalling the condition of anganwadi centres before 2017, Adityanath said many facilities were poorly maintained, lacked basic amenities such as drinking water and toilets, and faced delays in the supply of hot meals and nutritional supplements.
“Before 2017, many anganwadi centres were in a pathetic condition. Children would carry their own mats to sit on; there was no proper drinking water, no toilet and no hot meal,” he said.
He said a probe after his government assumed office found irregularities in the supply of nutritious food, including poor-quality supplies and delays in delivery.
“The fault was committed by someone else, but the anganwadi workers bore the brunt of it. Their honorarium was only Rs 3,000, while helpers received just Rs 1,500,” Adityanath said.
The government subsequently developed a model for anganwadi centres and undertook renovation and improvements in infrastructure, transportation and other facilities, he said.
Adityanath added that anganwadi workers had been equipped with smartphones, allowing real-time uploading of information and monitoring of nutrition distribution and its quality.
He said nearly 70,000 anganwadi centres had been transformed in Uttar Pradesh over the past nine years and that the government continued to treat every centre as a priority.
“Anganwadi centres are no longer just centres for nutrition; they are becoming centres of education as well,” he said.
Adityanath said anganwadi centres, along with schools operated by the Basic Education Council, could serve as the starting point for achieving the vision of a self-reliant and developed India by the time the country completes 100 years of Independence.
“The foundation of a capable and educated India, a healthy and empowered India, and a self-reliant and developed India begins here,” he said.
The chief minister said this year’s Poshan Maah theme, “Meri Anganwadi, Meri Zimmedari”, also conveyed that responsibility for the centres extended beyond the government.
“Every anganwadi worker, every helper, every gram panchayat and every citizen has a responsibility. We must take ownership and turn the prime minister’s vision into reality on the ground,” he said.
Describing Varanasi as the spiritual and cultural capital of the Sanatan tradition, Adityanath said the city had acquired a new identity while retaining its ancient character.
“Varanasi has received a new identity without losing its ancient character. Today, Kashi is attracting the entire world with a new aura and a new energy,” he said.
Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi and Minister of State Savitri Thakur were among those present at the programme.