New Delhi: The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India organized an orientation workshop for various stakeholders participating in the Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) being celebrated in the month of September. The workshop was held in New Delhi today. It was addressed by Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development; Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman NITI Aayog; Shri Rakesh Srivastava, Secretary WCD; Dr. Vinod K Paul, Member , NITI Aayog and officers of partner ministries as well as other organizations including UN.
Addressing the workshop, the WCD Minister, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that there can be a complete turnaround in the area of malnutrition if the Poshan Mission is taken up on warfooting as was the case in the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme. Celebrating the Poshan Maah in the form of a drive will give an early thrust to the Poshan Abhiyan, Smt Maneka Gandhi explained. It is for the first time in 40 years that a proper monitoring of the ICDS system has started, she said. She urged the District Magistrates to identify fake beneficiaries under the ICDS programme as fast as possible. This will help to save money which can then be used for improving the quality of food, the Minister explained. It is now time to clearly decide the quality of food, the delivery mechanism and outline the responsibilities of aganwadi workers to make the system completely efficient so that it brings ultimate benefit to the children being covered under the ICDS scheme, the WCD Minister added.
Addressing the workshop, V.K Paul, member, NITI aayog, said that “Fighting malnutrion should be the number one priority for all and convergent efforts is the need of the hour.”
Speaking at the event, Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Secretary WCD, said that “convergent efforts from various stakeholders can help achieve a Malnutrition free India”.
The Workshop focused on sensitizing the line Ministries, States/UTs and District level functionaries and partners on various aspects of Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) being celebrated during the month of September across the Country as part of Jan Andolan under POSHAN Abhiyaan. Secretaries/representatives of the line Departments and Secretaries/ representatives of State Government and District Collectors/District Magistrates/DPO/DSWO of Aspirational Districts and highly burdened districts also participated. Station managers of 42 community radio stations from across the country also took part in the workshop.
The presentations by the line ministries listed activities that will be carried out by all the concerned Ministries, States/UTs up to the grass root level by involving all the field functionaries of the respective Departments during September 2018. The primary objective of the celebration of Poshan Maah is to take the messages of POSHAN to the grass root level.
‘Poshan pledge’ was administered to all the participants by Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI aayog. The various line ministries supporting the initiative gave detailed presentations on their action plan to make India Malnutrition free. Dashboard on poshan Mission was unveiled for monitoring progress.
The programme- an initiative of WCD Ministry and NITI Aayog is supported by 18 line Ministries/Departments/Government Organizations. It seeks to synergise all efforts by leveraging technology and intends to take nutrition awareness to the level of Jan Andolan or People’s Movement. The programme focuses on 8 themes – Antenatal Care, Optimal Breastfeeding (Early & Exclusive), Complementary Feeding, Anemia, Growth Monitoring, Girls-education, diet, right age of Marriage, Hygiene & Sanitation, Food Fortification. Various activities are planned for to the month of September which will be celebrated nationwide as Poshan Maah. Activities like- Prabhat Pheri, POSHAN Melas, POSHAN Rallies & Walks, Nukkad Nataks, Yuva Shakti Rallies, School Based Events, Recipe Demonstration, Public Events are planned.
The People’s Movement intends to reach 11 crore beneficiaries during the Nutrition Month itself. The speciality of the programme is that activities are to be updated by all the Ministries on the Jan Andholan Dash-board for continuous monitoring. Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of HRD, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Tribal Affairs among other are actively participating in Poshan Maah.
POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 8thMarch, 2018 from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. The programme through use of technology, a targeted approach and convergence strives to reduce the level of Stunting, Under-nutrition, Anemia and Low Birth Weight in Children, as also, focus on Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers, thus holistically addressing malnutrition. POSHAN Abhiyaan aims to ensure service delivery and interventions by use of technology, behavioural change through convergence and lays-down specific targets to be achieved across different monitoring parameters over the next few years. 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 andholan intends to give prominence to nutrition at the highest level in the country.
States/UTs have also been asked to organise activities like (i) Convergence Action
Plan Meeting – State, District, Block level, Community Based Events, ECCE Day, DAY-NRLM, Weekly Meeting, Home Visits by ANM/ASHA/AWW, Gram Sabha Meeting and spread the message of Poshan. It has also been suggested that State/UT should ensure that Prabhat Pheri, POSHAN Melas, POSHAN Rallies & Walks, Nukkad Nataks, Yuva Shakti Rallies, School Based Events, Recipe Demonstration, Public Events etc may be organised.
To know more about POSHAN Abhiyaan please visit its website http://www.icdswcd.
nic.in/nnm/home.html
