A drumstick tree — humble, drought-hardy, and packed with more iron than spinach — has become Chhattisgarh's quiet weapon against malnutrition, and on Sunday, 27 September 2026, it earned a national spotlight. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended the live listening of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat Episode 138 at Antagarh in Kanker district, and when PM Modi praised the state's 'Har Ghar Munga — Ghar Ghar Munga' ('Drumstick in every home — every home with drumstick') campaign, Sai called it a moment of special pride for the state.

What PM Modi said — and why Kanker was chosen

The 138th episode of Mann Ki Baat ranged across several national themes: the valour of soldiers in the 2016 Surgical Strike, the progress of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the fight against drug abuse, and nutrition security. CM Sai, who gathered with residents at Antagarh — a block-headquarters town in one of Chhattisgarh's most nutritionally vulnerable districts — noted that PM Modi's direct mention of the Munga campaign gave the state government fresh energy to push its 'Kuposhan Mukt Chhattisgarh' ('Malnutrition-free Chhattisgarh') goal into more households.

Kanker is not a coincidental venue. The district sits in northern Chhattisgarh within a region that has historically recorded high rates of child undernutrition among its substantial tribal population, making it a frontline constituency for the campaign's outreach.

The Munga campaign: how a local plant became state policy

Moringa oleifera — called munga or sahjan across central India — is among the most nutrient-dense plants available in the region, rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. The state's 'Har Ghar Munga' initiative promotes cultivation and regular consumption of the drumstick plant as a low-cost, locally available solution to address nutritional gaps, particularly among children and pregnant women in tribal blocks.

The campaign aligns with India's national POSHAN Abhiyaan, launched in 2018, which has consistently encouraged states to leverage indigenous, nutrient-rich foods rather than relying solely on centrally distributed supplements. Chhattisgarh's adaptation of that framework — rooting it in a plant already grown in household compounds across the state — is what drew PM Modi's attention on air.

National recognition as a force multiplier

CM Sai framed the prime ministerial praise as more than ceremonial validation. In his post on X, he said PM Modi's appreciation would inspire more families to connect with the 'Kuposhan Mukt Chhattisgarh' effort and that the guidance would give new energy to the state's 'Suposhit Chhattisgarh' (Well-nourished Chhattisgarh) resolve. He specifically invoked jan bhaagidari — people's participation — as the mechanism through which nutrition security would reach every home.

A prime-time mention on a programme with an estimated listenership of tens of millions carries genuine mobilisation value: it signals to district administrations, self-help groups, and anganwadi workers that the campaign has the Centre's eye — and that performance will be noticed.

Chhattisgarh has staked its nutrition strategy on a tree that grows for free in its own backyard; the question now is whether that quiet green revolution can scale fast enough to move the malnutrition needle in its most vulnerable blocks.