Jammu, May 22: Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, laid the foundation stone for the Akshaya Patra centralized kitchen facility in Katra on Thursday. Once operational, this facility will provide 5,000 nutritious meals daily to school children.
The Lieutenant Governor also discussed future projects of Akshaya Patra in the Union Territory, including an upcoming kitchen facility in Jammu.
He emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between the government and social organizations to empower the youth. “We must ensure that school children receive balanced and nutritious meals. Every child has the right to access healthy food, and we must ensure that no child is left behind,” he stated.
LG Sinha spoke about the significance of heritage in everyday life, stressing that it hinges on three questions: What are we creating? What are we preserving? And what will we pass on to future generations? He added, “We should include another question: What are we feeding our children? Nurturing our youth will shape the future of our nation.”
He pointed out that a hungry child cannot learn, and schools that fail to provide meals cannot genuinely create equal opportunities for progress.
Decades of global research have shown that nutrition and education are interconnected. The foundation of education rests on good nutrition. Children who consume balanced and nutritious meals can focus better, retain information more effectively, and participate more actively in class.
The Lieutenant Governor remarked that protein, vitamins, and a balanced diet provide essential energy for children’s thinking and understanding. “I want every school in Jammu and Kashmir to remember that when we provide nutritious food in schools, we are not just filling stomachs; we are shaping future minds,” he asserted.
He further stated that the next generation is not only our future but also a living expression of the dreams and aspirations we aim to realize as a nation. Their education, health, and confidence are a shared commitment and collective responsibility of society. The values, knowledge, and beliefs we instill in children today will shape the future of Jammu and Kashmir and India in the coming decades.
The Lieutenant Governor praised Akshaya Patra for its selfless service. Akshaya Patra is one of the largest NGOs in the world in the school meal sector, currently providing meals to over 2 million children across 16 states and 3 Union Territories.
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