9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 Launched at Varanasi

The nutrition month has begun. The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 on 9 September 2026 at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi. It is a month-long nationwide Jan Andolan, and its theme is Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari.

Who was present

The launch was attended by Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Annpurna Devi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, Minister of State in the same ministry, and Baby Rani Maurya, the Uttar Pradesh minister for women welfare, child development and nutrition.

What the campaign pushes

The campaign asks families to look at dietary diversity, adequate protein in meals and fresh hot cooked food, along with sanitation and early childhood development. The Chief Minister said Anganwadi Centres have been turned into vibrant community institutions, that workers now carry smartphones for real-time data entry, and that centres regularly serve hot cooked meals and take home ration.

The reach in figures

Ten years of the maternity benefit scheme

The Union Minister said the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana has completed ten years. It has transferred more than Rs 21,000 crore by direct benefit transfer to over 4.65 crore mothers. A film marking the decade was screened at the event. She also stressed the first 1,000 days of a child's life and called on citizens to make nutrition a Jan Andolan for a Suposhit Bharat and Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The wider effort

Work continues through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. Since Poshan Abhiyaan began in 2018, more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities have been held through Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwada and similar drives. Before the formal launch the dignitaries visited a Poshan Mela showing local nutritious foods and best practices from Anganwadi Centres.