The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi on September 9, 2026. This month-long nationwide campaign, running from September 9 to October 8, 2026, focuses on the theme "Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari" and aims to create a Jan Andolan (people's movement) for nutrition.
The launch event was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, Minister of State Savitri Thakur, and Uttar Pradesh Minister for Women Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition Baby Rani Maurya, along with senior officials, development partners, frontline workers, and beneficiaries.
Union Minister Annpurna Devi highlighted that over 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres are currently delivering nutrition, health, and early childhood care services to more than 7.5 crore children, 1.10 crore pregnant and lactating women, and nearly 16 lakh adolescent girls. She announced that the government is upgrading 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres into Saksham Anganwadis, with approximately 24,000 centres approved in Uttar Pradesh.
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) has completed ten years of implementation, transferring more than ₹21,000 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer to over 4.65 crore mothers across the country. Since the launch of Poshan Abhiyaan in 2018, more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities have been conducted through various community engagement initiatives.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasized the transformative role of Anganwadi Centres, noting they have been upgraded with improved infrastructure and learning environments. Anganwadi Workers have been equipped with smartphones for real-time data entry and digital monitoring, while centres regularly provide Hot Cooked Meals and Take Home Ration to eligible beneficiaries.
The Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 campaign will focus on five key areas: dietary diversity and adequate protein intake, fresh hot cooked meals at Anganwadi Centres, community ownership through Anganwadi Management Committees and SNP Menu Boards, nutrition and early stimulation for childhood development, and commemorating 10 years of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. The campaign aims to deepen community engagement with Anganwadi Centres and promote collective action toward improved nutrition, maternal health, and early childhood development, supporting the vision of a Suposhit Bharat and Viksit Bharat@2047.