Lucknow, Feb 12 (IANS): Children registered with Anganwadi centres in Uttar Pradesh will now be served fresh and steaming hot food. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken this initiative to ensure proper nutrition and better health of the children in his state.

The centres from now on will also be provided with milk powder, curd and ghee under the scheme along with the usual cereals such as rice, wheat flour and pulses. The scheme will run parallel to the mid-day meal scheme.

The chief minister has directed the Child Development and Nutrition Department to serve children, aged between 3 and 6-year-old, fresh and hot food at all Anganwadi centres across the state, said a government spokesman.

The UP Government has also ordered reopening of Anganwadi centres with strict adherence to the Covid protocol.

It's noteworthy that there are altogether 1.89 lakh Anganwadi centres spread over all the 75 districts of the state.

Besides educating six-year-old children, the centres also cater to the needs of teenage girls, pregnant women and mothers.

Each Anganwadi centre has on an average 20 to 25 registered students. The scheme aims at ensuring proper nutrition for kids in the state.

According to the departmental officials, the scheme will run on the pattern of mid-day meal scheme with similar menu while the state government will supply all the necessary items to the Child Development and Nutrition Department every four months.

At village-level, funds for the expenses to be incurred under the scheme would be transferred to the joint account of the head of the Self-Help Group and the Anganwadi worker operating there. The food will be prepared by the same cook that prepares food for mid-day meal.