Chandigarh, September 8:- The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development will launch the 9th National Nutrition Month 2026 on September 9, 2026, at the Rudraksh International Cooperation Centre in Varanasi in the presence of Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Mrs. Annpurna Devi. Following this, under the directions of Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Nayab Singh Saini, the 9th National Nutrition Month will also be celebrated in Haryana from September 9.
Giving detailed information in this regard, a spokesperson of the Women and Child Development Department said that this time the theme of the National Nutrition Month campaign has been kept as 'Sadi Anganwadi, Sadi Zimmedari'. The campaign aims to raise awareness about nutrition, promote a healthy lifestyle, and ensure the participation of departments and the community for the better health of women and children.
The spokesperson informed that this time Nutrition Month will focus on five major themes. The first theme is about dietary diversity and required protein, under which information about nutritious food made from locally available pulses, green vegetables, milk products, and coarse grains will be provided at Anganwadi centers. The second theme relates to fresh hot-cooked food, emphasizing cleanliness and timely serving of food by displaying menu boards at Anganwadi centers. The third theme is community participation, under which meetings of newly formed Anganwadi Management Committees will be organized to connect people with the monitoring of centers. The fourth theme is based on children's nutrition and early mental development, teaching parents learning-through-play activities with children. The fifth and final theme relates to the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, which completes 10 years this year. Under this, special emphasis will be laid on ensuring the registration of eligible pregnant women.
He said that the objective of this campaign is to complete all activities in a timely manner according to the program schedule prescribed by the department and to maximize its benefits reaching the general public, especially women and children. He also instructed establishing better coordination among relevant departments so that the objectives of Nutrition Month can be fully realized.
The spokesperson stated that for the successful operation of National Nutrition Month, special health camps should be set up by the Health Department for severely malnourished children. ANC check-ups of pregnant women and regular health check-ups of children should be ensured. During home visits, along with special attention to immunization and nutrition, necessary action should be taken by identifying developmental delays in children aged 0 to 6 years.
The Education Department was instructed to conduct nutrition awareness campaigns in schools and organize poster, story, sports, and yoga competitions. It was asked to motivate children towards healthy lifestyle, education, and nutrition through sports activities and to establish better coordination among school teams. The Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies Department should ensure monitoring of Anganwadi center activities through Sarpanches and Panches in rural areas and through Councilors in urban areas.
He added that the purpose of Nutrition Month should not be limited to departmental activities alone, but should create widespread public awareness against malnutrition through active community participation.