Delhi, September 7: Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi will launch the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 on September 9 at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
The month month-long campaign will be launched in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister senior dignitaries from the Government of India and States and UTs, development partners, frontline functionaries and beneficiaries will join the launch event.
This year’s campaign draws momentum from the 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, and guidelines for the establishment of Anganwadi Management Committees. Building on these reforms, Poshan Maah 2026 will be anchored in five mutually reinforcing themes.
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The first theme, Dietary Diversity and Adequate Protein, will see Anganwadi Centres hold live demonstrations of healthy recipes using affordable, local ingredients from all food groups, while Poshan Melas and a ‘Protein-Rich Foods’ campaign will promote balanced diets and practical ways of adding plant- and animal-based protein to daily meals.
Closely linked to this, the second theme Fresh Hot Cooked Meals at Anganwadi Centres will encourage States and UTs to operationalise weekly menu rotation using millets, pulses and seasonal vegetables, supported by live HCM demonstrations and community tasting sessions involving parents, Panchayats, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Anganwadi Management Committees (AMCs).
To ensure greater transparency, accountability and community participation in the delivery of these services, Community Ownership and Accountability has been identified as a third key theme of Poshan Maah. The theme will drive the accelerated constitution and operationalisation of Anganwadi Management Committees (AMCs) across all Anganwadi Centres, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry on 25th June 2026. As part of Poshan Maah, at least one AMC meeting will be held at every Anganwadi Centre to review service delivery and strengthen community participation. Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP) Menu Boards will be displayed at every Centre to make daily menus and entitlements visible, and AMCs and Mothers’ Committees will monitor meal quality and menu adherence.
Finally, Poshan Maah 2026 will celebrate Ten Years of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), the flagship maternity benefit programme that has supported maternal nutrition and health-seeking behaviour for a decade as a fifth theme. A 100% saturation drive will enrol all eligible pregnant and lactating women, expedite Direct Benefit Transfers, and launch a PMMVY Toolkit for localisation by State and UTs.
The launch programme will open with a walkthrough of the Poshan Mela by the dignitaries and the lighting of the lamp. Beneficiary testimonial videos on Hot Cooked Meals, Take Home Ration, Home Visits and ECCE will be screened, followed by a live interaction between the Union Minister and the Anganwadi Workers. Films marking 10 years of PMMVY and the Poshan Maah 2026 launch will set the stage for the dignitaries to formally launch the campaign.
Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 will be observed across all States and UTs through community events at Anganwadi Centres, schools, Panchayats and Households, reaffirming that a well-nourished child is the shared responsibility of every citizen and the surest foundation of a Viksit Bharat.
