Ensuring good nutrition for children is an investment for a developed India: President Murmu india news
New Delhi: Ensuring good nutrition for a child is an investment in human capital, President Draupadi Murmu said on Tuesday, stressing that children are not just beneficiaries of the mid-day meal program in schools, but they are the creators of the country’s bright future.Murmu was speaking at an event organized by Akshaya Patra Foundation to commemorate the achievement of 5 billion meals and 25 years of service at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre. The President said serving five billion meals in the advancement of educational causes is a remarkable achievement of the non-profit organization.As the implementing partner of the Government of India’s flagship PM Poshan initiative, Akshaya Patra is serving fresh, nutritious meals to millions of children studying in government schools across India. Murmu said the theme of the programme, ‘From a well-nourished and well-educated India to a developed India’, underlines the importance of a nourished and educated society in realizing the national resolve to build a ‘developed India’ by the year 2047.As a symbolic gesture the President also served food to a group of children. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Akshaya Patra Foundation Founder and Chairman Madhu Pandit Dasa, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman Chanchalapati Dasa were present on the occasion.He said, “Children are not just beneficiaries of the free school lunch programme; they are the drivers of a productive, competitive future workforce to ensure a $30 trillion economy by 2047. Every meal is an investment in our country’s human capital, resulting in a healthy, educated youth demographic dividend that will contribute to the socio-economic development of a new and developed India.”Murmu lauded Akshaya Patra for continuously working to address the issue of malnutrition among children for the last 25 years and encourage them to pursue education by delivering mid-day meals to schools.Education Minister Pradhan said, “India cannot fully realize its potential unless our children and youth are well-nourished.”