Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday laid the foundation stone of Akshaya Patra’s centralised mid-day meal kitchen facility in Katra.
Once operational, the facility will provide 5,000 nutritious meals daily to schoolchildren. On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also spoke about Akshaya Patra’s upcoming projects in the Union Territory, including a similar kitchen facility in Jammu.
“I urge stronger collaboration between the government and social organisations to empower the younger generation. We must ensure that schoolchildren receive balanced and nutritious meals. Every child deserves access to healthy food, and we must ensure that no child is left behind,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Speaking about the importance of nutrition, Sinha said the legacy of any society rests on three questions — what are we creating, what are we preserving and what will we hand over to future generations. He added that another important question should be: “What are we feeding our children?”
He observed that the nutrition of the younger generation would shape the future of society and the nation. “A hungry child cannot learn, and a school that cannot feed its children cannot honestly create equal opportunities for progress,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said decades of global research have established that nutrition and education are deeply interconnected, with education resting on the foundation of good nutrition.
“Children who eat balanced and nutritious meals concentrate better, retain information more effectively and participate more actively in classrooms. Proteins, vitamins and a balanced diet provide the basic energy required for thinking and understanding,” he said.
“I want every school in Jammu and Kashmir to remember that when we provide nutritious meals to children, we are not merely filling stomachs but shaping future generations,” Sinha added.
He said the next generation represents not only the future but also the living expression of the dreams and aspirations that society seeks to build as a nation.
“Their education, health and confidence are a shared commitment and collective responsibility of society. The values, knowledge and faith we instil in children today will shape the future of Jammu and Kashmir and India in the decades to come,” he said.
The L-G also lauded the service of Akshaya Patra, one of the world’s largest NGOs in the school meal sector, which currently serves over 20 lakh children across 16 states and three Union Territories.
