New Delhi: Ensuring good nutrition of children is an investment in human capital, President Dhurupadi Murmu on Tuesday said, stressing that children are not only beneficiaries of the school mid-day meal scheme but also builders of a bright future for the country.Murmu was speaking at a landmark event held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center to mark 25 years of Akshaya Patra Foundation providing 5 billion meals and serving the cause. The President said providing 5 billion meals to advance education goals is a remarkable achievement for nonprofit organizations.As the implementing partner of Prime Minister’s POSHAN flagship program of the Government of India, Akshaya Patra has been providing fresh, nutritious meals to millions of children in government schools across India. Murmu added that the theme of the event, “From Well-nourished and Well-Educated India to Developed India”, highlighted the importance of a well-nourished and well-educated society in achieving the national resolve of building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.The president also provided food to a group of children in a symbolic gesture. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Akshaya Patra Foundation founder and chairman Madhu Pandit Dasa co-founder and vice-chairman Chanchalapathi Dasa were present on the occasion.She added: “Children are not just the beneficiaries of the free school lunch program; they are the drivers of a future productive, competitive workforce to ensure a $30 trillion economy by 2047. Every meal is an investment in our nation’s human capital, delivering a demographic dividend of healthy, educated youth that will contribute to the socio-economic growth of emerging developed India.”Murmu commended Akshaya Patra for her continuous efforts over the past 25 years to address malnutrition among children and encourage them to pursue education by providing mid-day meals to schools.Education Minister Pradhan said: “Unless our children and adolescents are well nourished, India will not be able to realize its full potential.”
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