Atishi inspects Anganwadi food center in Delhi

New Delhi: Delhi Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Atishi on Monday inspected a centralised Anganwadi kitchen located in Tigri area. During the inspection, she examined the quality of grains and other ingredients used in cooking.

The Delhi Government has said that the centralised kitchens for Anganwadis provide nutritious meals to more than 8 lakh women and children daily in Delhi.

“The Kejriwal government is committed to providing nutritious meals to every needy woman and child in Delhi. The government is operating 11 centralised kitchens, delivering cooked food and Take-Home Rations to 8 lakh children and women across Delhi daily.

“Through these kitchens, they are working to provide better nutrition to children aged 6 months to 3 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers in Anganwadis. These centralised kitchens play a vital role in this endeavor,” Atishi said.

The Tigri-based centralised kitchen is equipped with modern machinery. The kitchen is divided into three parts: one for grain storage, the second with a fully automatic machine that cleans grains and packages ‘Take-Home Ration’ without any human touch, and the third and final part where the cooking takes place.

Large mechanised containers are used in this section to prepare and pack food according to the daily menu, which is then delivered to 775 Anganwadis in the South Delhi district.

The WCD Minister shared that through the kitchen in Tigri, provides free nutritious meals to over 42,000 children and pregnant women in 775 Anganwadis in South Delhi.

She said that the kitchen prepares ‘Take-Home Ration’ for more than 20,000 children and 8,000 women between the ages of six months and three years, using zero human touch and modern machinery. Packed Panjiri and Khichdi premixes are included for children and pregnant/lactating mothers, respectively.

She said that the objective of these initiatives is to provide nutritious food to every needy child and mother, ensuring their strong foundation and proper physical and mental development during crucial years.

The kitchen’s food quality is checked at various levels, and there are no compromises made in terms of food quality. Strict adherence to cleanliness-related regulations is also maintained. Every worker in the kitchen is required to wear shoe covers and masks and use gloves.

Atishi said that work of Anganwadi workers is commendable. They start preparing nutritious food for thousands of needy individuals every morning at 4 a.m. Through their work, they are contributing to building a healthy society.