The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, will launch the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 on September 9th, 2026 at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi will launch the month-long campaign in the presence of Yogi Adityanath (Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh), Smt. Savitri Thakur (Minister of State for Women and Child Development), and Smt. Baby Rani Maurya (Cabinet Minister for Women Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition, Government of Uttar Pradesh).
The campaign operates under the theme "Hamari Anganwadi Hamari Jimmedari," which places Anganwadi Centres at the heart of community-led action for nutrition and early childhood development. This year's campaign draws momentum from revised Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) Guidelines under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, which for the first time define Hot Cooked Meals and mandate SNP Menu Boards, along with guidelines for establishing Anganwadi Management Committees.
Poshan Maah 2026 is anchored in five mutually reinforcing themes: Dietary Diversity and Adequate Protein will feature live demonstrations of healthy recipes using affordable local ingredients and Poshan Melas promoting protein-rich foods. Fresh Hot Cooked Meals at Anganwadi Centres will encourage states to operationalize weekly menu rotations using millets, pulses and seasonal vegetables. Community Ownership and Accountability will drive accelerated constitution and operationalization of Anganwadi Management Committees across all centers, with at least one AMC meeting held at every center during Poshan Maah to review service delivery.
Nutrition, Early Stimulation and Education for Childhood Development focuses on nurturing children's health during foundational years, with Anganwadi Workers conducting home visits using Navchetana and the revised Home Visit Scheduler. All centers will run a drive to record developmental milestones of children aged 0-3 years, with fast-track referrals during Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days. For children aged 3-6 years, centers will celebrate Early Childhood Care and Education Day with parent-child activities and conduct exposure visits to government primary schools.
The fifth theme celebrates Ten Years of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) with a 100% saturation drive to enroll all eligible pregnant and lactating women and expedite Direct Benefit Transfers. The launch event will include a Poshan Mela walkthrough, beneficiary testimonial videos on various programs, live interaction with Anganwadi Workers, and films marking PMMVY's decade and the Poshan Maah launch. The campaign will be observed across all states and UTs through community events at Anganwadi Centres, schools, Panchayats and households.