UP's first 'Mission Shakti Cafe' to open today

Lucknow, Oct 22 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh is set to get its first ‘Mission Shakti Cafe’ in Gonda district on Sunday. The cafe will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Operated by self-help group members, the cafe aims to not only empower these women but also provide nutritious, wholesome meals to students, replacing unhealthy options.

A grand Kanya Puja ceremony of 11,000 girls, ‘Shakti Vandan’, is also being organised in Gonda on October 22. This is the biggest Kanya Puja ceremony not only in the state but also in the country so far.

Gonda District Magistrate Neha Sharma said that along with the Shakti Vandan ceremony, this Mission Shakti Cafe is being started from the government-aided Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri College.

This is the first Mission Shakti Cafe in the state, which will give the women of self-help groups an opportunity to become self-reliant and, at the same time, provide nutritious and clean food to the students.

Sharma said: “Under the theme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao Mission, the event will include a Kanya Bhoj for 11,000 girls at the Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Inter College (Tomson). During this period, Poshan Potli and hygiene kits will also be provided to all these girls.”

Besides, Nav Devi Awards will be given to exceptional women from various fields such as police, entrepreneurship, education, health, agriculture and self-help groups, Panchayati Raj, she added.