he Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Steps In to Safeguard the Health and Nutrition of 38 Lakh School Children in AP Launch of Ragi Jawa (RagiMalt) Project in the Government Schools, Andhra Pradesh | Mar 21, 2023 With the Divine Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust started the operations of a new initiative “Ragi Jawa Project” on Mar 21, 2023, on the eve of Ugadi, the Telugu New Year Day. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has a mid-day meal programme (called “Jagananna Gorumudda”) to ensure the enrolment, retention, attendance and simultaneously improving the nutritional levels of children studying in government, local body and government-aided primary schools. To enhance the nutrition quotient of these meals by the inclusion of millets into their diet, the Government has decided to provide Ragi Malt drink to all the children 3 days a week. Ragi Malt is prepared with 10 gms of Ragi Flour and 10 gms of Jaggery Powder cooked in 150 ml of hot water. This drink is rich in various nutrients like iron, calcium, protein, carbohydrates and so on. On the request of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust has come forward to supply the needed quantities of Ragi Flour and Jaggery Powder (about 414 metric tonnes) free to cost so that 38 lakh students studying in about 44,392 schools spanning over 26 districts of Andhra Pradesh are benefitted by this initiative. Incidentally, the Hon'ble PM spearheaded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to declare the year 2023 to be the " International Year of Millets". The Government of AP is promoting RAGI (Finger Millet) as it has high nutritional value. The inaugural session over a virtual video call with the Hon’ble Chief Minister was presided over by Sri Basant Kumar (IAS, Collector and District Magistrate, Sri Sathya Sai Dist.) Sri RJ Rathnakar (Managing Trustee, SSSCT) Sri Gorantla Madhav (MP, Hindupur) this morning at Zilla Parishad High School, Kothacheruvu. Hon’ble CM profusely thanked the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust for coming forward and supporting the Government and extended his heartfelt gratitude to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for showering His Divine Blessings on the children. This Seva shall steer the activities planned for Bhagawan's Centenary Celebrations amongst several other projects.