PM Modi Hails Chhattisgarh's Munga Campaign in Mann Ki Baat, CM Sai Announces ₹85 Lakh Kanker Package

In the 138th edition of his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spotlighted Chhattisgarh's grassroots fight against malnutrition, lauding the state's popular community-driven initiative, the "Har Ghar Munga, Ghar Ghar Munga" (Moringa in every home) campaign. Listening to the live broadcast alongside students, panchayat representatives, and local villagers at the Eklavya Model Residential School in Lamakanhar village, Antagarh block of Kanker district, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed heartfelt gratitude, describing the Prime Minister’s recognition as a momentous honor for the entire state. Highlighting how remote tribal pockets previously caught in the shadows of Left-Wing Extremism are now transitioning into peaceful growth corridors, Chief Minister Sai celebrated the power of citizen participation (Jan Bhagidari) and marked the occasion by announcing local infrastructure projects worth ₹85 lakh.Rashtriya Poshan Maah: How 'Har Ghar Munga' Is Eradicating MalnutritionHighlighting September as National Nutrition Month (Rashtriya Poshan Maah), Prime Minister Modi commended the Women and Child Development Department of Chhattisgarh for popularizing Moringa oleifera across rural homes:Nutritional Superfood: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai noted that Munga (drumstick) is an easily accessible, locally grown superfood packed with vital micronutrients, plant protein, calcium, and bioavailable iron, making it an ideal weapon against childhood stunting and maternal anemia.Versatile Dietary Use: The campaign encourages families to consume drumstick leaves, flowers, and pods daily in household cooking, while distributing saplings across rural courtyards and school kitchen gardens.Call for Citizen Action: Urging the gathering of students and parents to plant Munga saplings in their homes, the Chief Minister emphasized that community awareness can turn everyday culinary habits into effective public health interventions.Bastar to Korea District: Chhattisgarh's Innovations on the National StageChief Minister Sai emphasized that Prime Minister Modi regularly uses Mann Ki Baat to bring Chhattisgarh’s local innovations to nationwide prominence:Praise for Local Success Models: The Prime Minister has previously lauded diverse state initiatives, including cultural celebrations like Bastar Pandum, the sporting showcase Bastar Olympics, the historic copper plate unearthed in Malhar, and the famed water harvesting initiative of Korea district.The 5% Water Conservation Blueprint: Under the Korea district model, farmers set aside 5% of their agricultural plots for decentralized water catchment pits, recharging deep groundwater aquifers and providing emergency micro-irrigation during dry spells.Inspiring Pan-India Emulation: The Chief Minister noted that when such community-led initiatives are shared on a national platform, they inspire villages and towns across India to replicate simple, sustainable solutions.Breaking Free from Naxalism: Peace and Development Anchor in Bastar and KankerAddressing the gathering in Antagarh, Chief Minister Sai underscored the decisive shift taking place across the southern tribal heartland:Reclaiming Tribal Regions: For decades, Kanker and the wider Bastar division struggled under the influence of Naxal insurgency, but under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resolve, and the valor of security forces, the state is advancing toward freedom from extremism.Restoring Public Trust: The atmosphere of fear and isolation has given way to peace, security, and renewed administrative trust, opening doors for development in areas once deemed inaccessible.Last-Mile Connectivity: Emphasizing that basic services must reach the last person in the farthest settlement, the state government is expanding all-weather roads, drinking water, modern schooling, digital networks, and healthcare centers.₹85 Lakh Development Package for Lamakanhar VillageTo commemorate the visit, Chief Minister Sai sanctioned development projects totaling ₹85 lakh for the educational and social infrastructure of Lamakanhar:₹37 Lakh for School Buildings: Dedicated funds to construct upgraded modern facilities for the village primary and middle schools.₹18 Lakh for CC Roadways: Construction of durable cement-concrete (CC) road networks across Chhote Para to ease rural commuting.₹15 Lakh for Eklavya School: Modernizing the campus laboratory and setting up a fully equipped digital library at Eklavya Model Residential School.₹15 Lakh for Community Center: Construction of a multipurpose community building adjacent to the Sheetla Temple in Lamakanhar.'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' Plantation DriveConcluding the event, Chief Minister Sai planted a guava sapling within the Eklavya Model Residential School premises under the national "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" (One Tree for Mother) environmental campaign:Preserving Ecological Balance: The Chief Minister called on every resident to plant and nurture native saplings, stressing that protecting biodiversity is a shared duty between citizens and the state.Prominent Leaders Present: The broadcast and subsequent ceremony were attended by Kanker Member of Parliament Bhojraj Nag, Antagarh MLA Vikram Usendi, senior administrative officials, school faculty, and hundreds of local residents.