Yogi Adityanath asks officials to launch Hot Cooked Meal scheme for anganwadi children on Navratri

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials on Tuesday to start the Hot Cooked Meal scheme at anganwadi centres on the auspicious occasion of Sharadiya Navratri.

The chief minister, who held a review meeting of the Bal Vikas Sewa Evam Pushtahar Vibhag and the Women's Welfare and Child Development department, also directed the officials to make efforts to boost enrolment and attendance at the anganwadi centres, according to an official release issued here.

Stressing the need for the anganwadi centres to operate on the lines of pre-primary, Adityanath issued directives to relocate the centres, currently being operated from rented spaces, into their own buildings and expedite the recruitment of anganwadi workers and assistants on vacant posts.

He directed the officials to start the Hot Cooked Meal scheme during the Sharadiya Navratri, aimed at providing nourishing meals to the children attending the anganwadi centres. Hot-cooked meals and seasonal fruits will be given to children aged three to six years under the initiative, the release said.

Adityanath also asked for shifting the 12,800 anganwadi centres currently operating from rented premises in urban areas to their own buildings.

He emphasised that the anganwadi centres should be established alongside parks in residential areas. These buildings should be built with the help of CSR funds from private companies, urban development funds and contributions from affluent individuals. In case of insufficient funding, additional financial support could be sought from the government, the release said.

Stressing that the anganwadi centres should be operated on the lines of pre-primary, the chief minister said for this, 24,473 vacant posts of anganwadi workers and 26,007 posts of anganwadi assistants should be filled soon.