Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath on Friday launched the Hot Cooked Meal scheme in an event at Ayodhya. Under the aegis of this Hot Cooked Meal scheme, children between 3 to 6 years of age will be provided hot and nutritious food at Anganwadi centres across the state.

Inaugurating the scheme at the Composite School in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that well-nourished and healthy children will become the basis of a strong India. He added that Ram Lalla is going to be installed in his own temple on January 22 after 500 years. He mentioned that prior to this historic occasion, the work of providing nutritious meals, on the lines of mid-day meals, to children aged three to six years in the state started from Ayodhya, signifying an auspicious beginning.

The chief minister also laid the foundation stone of 3,401 Anganwadi centres in 35 districts at a cost of Rs 403 crore and inaugurated a transit hostel for police personnel in Ayodhya Reserve Police Lines. Yogi Adityanath further highlighted that the initiative to provide hot meals with diverse menus on different days will progress with the mutual coordination of various departments.

CM Yogi Adityanath also drew attention to the successful eradication of encephalitis in eastern Uttar Pradesh emphasizing that with inter-departmental coordination, the disease which claimed the lives of 50,000 children in 40 years, was controlled within four years.

He stated that there are 1.90 lakh Anganwadi centres operating in the state, with over two crore registered beneficiaries. He mentioned that these centres provide six types of services. However, for the first time in the state, the auspicious work of providing hot cooked meals to 80 lakh children aged three to six years is being started.  

Addressing the gathering of Anganwadi workers and helpers at the event, the chief minister said that children are a form of God and they are fortunate because, like Yashoda Maa in the Dwapara yuga, who nurtured Krishna in his childhood, you are serving and taking health and nourishment responsibility of hundreds of Kanhas, contributing to the basis of a strong India. He hailed that it is their fortune that they have got this opportunity. 

CM Yogi Adityanath noted there were many questions about the nutrition schemes in the past but significant improvements have been made in the last seven years. Nonetheless, he said that there is still room for further improvement, and continuous efforts are required. He added that healthy children are not only the responsibility of the Women and Child Development Department, but the Panchayati Raj and Urban Development Departments should also be involved in it.

In a shocking incident, a 17-year-old boy was murdered in Kanpur by his teacher’s boyfriend who then also gave the boy’s family a ransom note to make it look like a kidnapping, according to the police. The officials asserted that the boy, a class 10 student, was brought to a store room by Prabhat Shukla, who is the lover of the boy’s tuition teacher Rachita.

After probing into the CCTV footage, the police officials said that the boy willingly followed Prabhat from his home to the store room. Reports stated that Prabhat told the boy that his teacher, Rachita, is calling him, which is why he follows him.

Police further added that the boy and Prabhat can be seen entering the room together. After 20 minutes, Prabhat comes out of the room, but the boy does not. On the grounds of preliminary investigation, cops said that no one else seems to have entered the room after that. Later, the accused then changed his clothes and was seen going away on the boy’s scooter.

As per reports, the police have arrested Prabhat, 21-year-old Rachita, and their friend Aryan in the case. The police officials asserted that the family had also received a letter demanding ransom. However, preliminary investigation has revealed that the boy had been murdered before the letter was delivered. The police added that the threat letter was a tactic to divert attention. Nonetheless, the motive of the murder is not ascertained yet.

Earlier, reacting to a social media post, the Police Commisionerate Kanpur Nagar said that the police took immediate action in the case and detained three people on the basis of CCTV and obtained important information during interrogation. They added that the police team is promptly and seriously verifying the information received. They further mentioned that the incident will be unveiled soon.

The social media post stated that a 16-year-old boy, a son of a prominent businessman in the city , was kidnapped for ransom and killed. The post added that last night, a suspect had delivered a ransom letter at the victim’s residence.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the fourth phase of Mission Shakti on Saturday. Mission Shakti aims at empowering women in Lucknow. On the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also flagged off the Women Empowerment Rally.

On social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath affirmed that today, Women Empowerment Rally was launched from Lucknow under Mission Shakti – Fourth Phase. He added that the double engine government is committed to ensuring the safety of mother power and taking them on the path of self-reliance. He also expressed heartiest congratulations to all the people who are working for women’s empowerment.

The Chief Minister further stated that Mission Shakti has become a popular scheme in the state as it led to a decrease in crime against women. He continued that Mission Shakti has not only become popular in the state for putting a check on crimes against women but also Uttar Pradesh has become one of the leading states in punishing criminals. He added that this phenomenon is the result of the success of the Mission Shakti program that the Central Government has also named their women empowerment program. 

Under the aegis of Mission Shakti Phase 4, the programmes which will be rolled out across Uttar Pradesh from October 14 will focus on the empowerment of women through self-defence. Reports said that in this phase of the campaign, information about managing women’s safety and assistance in emergencies will be provided and there will also be opportunities to connect with various welfare schemes of the Central and State Governments.

The Uttar Pradesh government further stated that women and girls will be given special training in self-defence during the Mission Shakti campaign. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened a meeting to deliberate on the commencement of the fourth phase of the Mission Shakti campaign, which is designed to empower women.