31-Aug-2022: Ministry of Women and Child Development to celebrate 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022:

POSHAN Abhiyaan is Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children under 6 years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister, POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan aims to address the challenge of malnutrition in a mission-mode. Focusing on the aims of POSHAN Abhiyaan, Mission Poshan 2.0 (Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0) has been launched as an integrated nutrition support program to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 from 1st to 30th September 2022. This year, the objective is to trigger Poshan Maah through Gram Panchayats as Poshan Panchayats with key focus on “Mahila aur Swasthya” and “Bacha aur Shiksha”.

The month long event will witness intensive activities across the country for awareness about nutrition at the ground level through sensitization drives, outreach programmes, identification drives, camps and fairs with special focus on pregnant and lactating women, children below six years and adolescent girls, in order to realise the vision of ‘Swasth Bharat’.

At the Panchayat level, awareness activities will be conducted by local functionaries under the guidance of the concerned District Panchayati Raj Officers and CDPOs.   Poshan Panchayat Committees will work closely with field level workers (FLWs) – AWWs, ASHAs, ANMs – to support problem solving and enabling service delivery through Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHNDs), and other relevant platforms to ensure all pregnant and lactating women, children below six years, and adolescent girls receive basic Integrated Child Development services.

Awareness drives on Anganwadi Services and good health practices will also be organised. Growth Measurement drives will be conducted to bring more beneficiaries under the ambit of Anganwadi Services. Growth Measurement drives under Swasth Balak Spardha will be conducted by States with the help of AWWs, AWHs, ASHA, district functionaries and agencies such as Lions Club, Rotary Club etc. Health camps for anemia check-ups will be especially organised at AWCs for adolescent girls.

Further, land will also be identified for Nutri-Gardens or Poshan Vatikas at or near Anganwadi Centres (AWCs).

Special focus will be given on the importance of rainwater conservation among women at Anganwadi centers and on traditional foods in tribal areas for healthy mother and child.

Under the State – level activities, ‘Amma ki Rasoi’ or Grandmother’s Kitchen of traditional nutritious recipes will be organised. Extensive efforts will be made to link traditional foods with local festivals during the month.

A national level toy-creation workshop will also be organized to promote use of indigenous and local toys for learning in Anganwadi Centres.

In States/UTs, women and child development depts. through Anganwadi workers and helpers and health and family welfare departments through ASHA, ANM, primary health centers, community health centers, school education and literacy department through schools, Panchayati Raj departments through panchayats and rural development through self-help groups etc. will carry out various thematic activities and spread the message of the importance of holistic nutrition throughout the month to ensure a healthier future for women and children.

Rashtriya Poshan Maah serves as a platform to bring focus to the discourse of nutrition and good health. In the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah the aim is to convert Jan Andolan into Jan Bhagidari to fulfill the Hon’ble PM’s vision of a Suposhit Bharat.

30-Aug-2020: PM highlights importance of Poshan Maah in converting nutrition awareness into a mass movement

In the latest address of Mann ki Baat, the Prime Minister noted that the month of September will be observed as Poshan Maah - Nutrition month. He said that nation and nutrition are very closely interrelated. He recalled the maxim - "Yatha Annam Tatha Mannam," which means that mental and intellectual development is directly related to the quality of our food intake. He said that nutrition and proper nourishment play a big role in helping children and students to attain their optimum potential and to show their mettle. He stressed that for children to be well nourished, the mother needs to receive proper nourishment. He added that nutrition merely does not only imply eating but getting essential nutrients like salts, vitamins etc.

Prime Minister noted the efforts made in the country during the past few years especially in villages where public participation in nutrition week and nutrition month is converting nutrition awareness into a mass movement. He added that schools have been integrated into this mass movement with efforts being made to ensure competitions for children to increase nutrition awareness.

Prime Minister said that in a class, just like there is a Class Monitor, there should be a Nutrition Monitor. Similarly, just like a Report card, a Nutrition Card should also be introduced. He informed that during the course of the Nutrition Month, a food and nutrition quiz as well as meme competition will be organized on the My Gov portal. He asked the listeners to participate in it.

Prime Minister informed that at the Statue of Unity, a unique kind of nutrition park has also been created where one can witness nutrition related education along with fun and frolic.

Emphasising that India is endowed with a lot of diversity in food and drink, Prime Minister said it is very important that according to the season of a particular region, a well-balanced & nutrient rich, diet plan should be drafted to include  local food grains, fruits and the vegetables cultivated there. He informed that an ‘Agricultural Fund of India’ is being created that will have complete information about the crops that are grown in each district and their related nutritional value. Prime Minister asked the listeners to eat nutritious food and stay healthy during the nutrition month.

4-Sep-2018: Rashtriya Poshan Maah celebrations get underway across India

The Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi has urged the Ministers of partner Ministries and all the Members of Parliament to extend full support to the ongoing Rashtriya Poshan Maah with outreach activities. The Government is celebrating the month of September, 2018 as the National Nutrition Month under the Poshan Abhiyan.

“In order to mainstream this programme during September, 2018, I request you to undertake outreach activities in your constituency. Your participation in this mission will enable common citizens to associate with the objective of eliminating malnutrition”, WCD Minister has stated in written communication to her colleagues.

Smt. Maneka Gandhi also said that the Poshan Abhiyan is a visionary programme to address the nutritional challenges of the country which was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister in March, 2018. The programme seeks to bring convergence amongst various ministries to work in a coordinated manner so that malnutrition can be quickly and progressively reduced. The key features of this programme is mobilization of communities across the country and get their participation in addressing various aspects of the nutritional challenges, she said.

A number of Ministries of Central Government are collaborating in the Poshan Abhiyan. The primary aim is to enable awareness on the importance of nutrition and how individual families can easily access government services to supplement nutrition for their children and pregnant/lactating mothers.

POSHAN Abhiyaan seeks to synergise efforts of key stakeholders by leveraging technology and intends to take Nutrition Awareness to the level of Jan Andolan or People’s Movement. This People’s Movement intends to reach 11 crore beneficiaries during the Rashtriya Poshan Maah itself.

Since the launch, Government has organised many Awareness Workshops with an aim to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia and low birth weight. As one of the nodal agencies of this Campaign, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has been at the forefront in driving Sensitisation Programs. Along with other partnering Ministries and Organisations, MWCD has been successful in mobilizing support from communities across the country.

Stakeholders across India will be encouraged to undertake activities ranging from State Level Workshops to Nomination of Brand Ambassadors to Multi-Media Campaigns. The MPs and Ministers have also been requested to update accomplished activities on the Jan Andolan Dashboard. In a swift response to the letter, the Ministers and MPs have already started undertaking series of POSHAN activities.

National Nutrition Month has eight Key Themes, namely, Antenatal Care, Optimal Breastfeeding, Complementary Feeding, Anemia, Growth Monitoring, Education; diet and right age of marriage for girls, Hygiene and Sanitation and Food fortification. All the Departments of the Government and other associated organisations have adopted an integrated approach towards accomplishing a target of malnutrition-free India. Social Media Updates pertaining to this campaign can be followed by using #PoshanMaah.

This programme through use of technology, a targeted approach and convergence strives to build a Healthy nation. To ensure a holistic approach, all 36 States/UTs and 718 districts will be covered in a phased manner by the year 2020. The Jan Andolan intends to give prominence to Nutrition at the highest level in the country. Nearly 100 community radio stations are also participating in the special drive during this month.