Wardha district wins two state-level first ranks in women and child welfare

Wardha district has been honoured with two state-level awards at once in recognition of how the Women and Child Development Department's schemes were implemented there. The district topped Maharashtra both in its performance during the eighth National Nutrition Month and in meeting the registration target under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.

The awards were given at an event held in Mumbai. Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare presented the awards, which were received on the district's behalf by District Programme Officer Manisha Kursange.

National Nutrition Month was observed from September 17 to October 16, 2025, with this year's theme being "Suposhit Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan" (Well-nourished Woman, Empowered Family Campaign). During the month-long campaign, large-scale awareness was created in the district about the nutrition and health of women, young children, adolescent girls and families as a whole. Activities covered issues such as reducing obesity, child care and education, emphasis on education alongside nutrition, food given to children, increasing men's participation, local-level empowerment and self-reliance, and joint action and digitisation. The campaign's main aim was to increase community participation and turn the nutrition issue into a mass movement.

Separately, the district also recorded a distinct achievement under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. Completing as much as 142 percent of the registration target set for the scheme, the district secured the first rank in the state. Special efforts were made at the level of anganwadi centres to ensure the scheme's benefits reached eligible women. Emphasis was placed on registering beneficiary women, creating awareness among them, completing the necessary documentation and finishing the online process on time.

The district's two first ranks are not a matter of coincidence but the result of planned and sustained effort by the District Programme Officer's office, the Women and Child Welfare Department, the Integrated Child Development Services scheme, Child Development Project Officers, supervisors, anganwadi workers and helpers. It was because all these bodies worked together through the year that the district was able to exceed its targets both in the Nutrition Month activities and in Matru Vandana Yojana registrations. Officials and staff involved have been receiving congratulations from all quarters for this achievement.