New Delhi, Feb 28 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said that nutrition is not just about food, but is the very foundation of building future of the young ones. Inaugurating the ‘Morning Nutrition Programme’ organised by the Akshaya Patra Foundation in Delhi schools, CM Gupta has said that such schemes have proved to have the capacity to connect millions of children with schools.
The new programme is set to directly benefit 90,000 children in government run schools in the capital city per day. This, the CM said, will provide energy and nourishment at the beginning of the day, enabling those kids to participate actively in studies, sports and other activities.
“This commitment to service carries forward India’s cultural tradition in which the donation of food is regarded as the highest virtue,” CM said.
Calling the initiative an important step towards the holistic development of children, Delhi Chief Minister assured firm support of the government to Akshay Patra Foundation in this programme.
She said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, initiatives such as PM Poshan, the National Food Security Act and the Poshan Abhiyaan have transformed nutrition into a people’s movement in the country.
CM noted that healthy and well-nourished children form the bedrock of a developed nation, and referring to the PM’s efforts towards women and girls’ health, nutrition for expectant mothers, the promotion of millets and vaccination against cervical cancer, she remarked that all these initiatives are crucial in building a healthier India.
Gupta also mentioned that with the resolve ‘no one should sleep hungry’, the Delhi government has been providing meals to the underprivileged, vulnerable persons and poor at just Rs 5 through the Atal Canteens initiative.
She shared that the aim is to provide meals to one lakh such people in a day, and to have 100 such canteens around the city, out of which 71 are already operational.
CM pointed that the partnership model between the state government and institutions are examples of better coordination between society and governance.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shyam Jaju, National President of the Akshaya Patra Foundation Bharatarsabha Das, and others were present on the occasion.
