Rashtriya Poshan Maah

Subject: Government initiative

Context:

The 3rd RashtriyaPoshanMaah is being celebrated during the month of September 2020. Ministry of Women and Child Development, being the nodal Ministry for POSHAN Abhiyaan, is celebrating the PoshanMaah in convergence with partner Ministries and departments, at  National, States/UTs, Districts, and grass root level.

Concept:

• POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) is India’s flagship programme, launched in March 2018 to improve nutritional status of children up to 6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers to achieve specific targets for reduction in low birth weight babies, stunting growth, under nutrition and prevalence of anemia over next three years.
• POSHAN Abhiyaan is not a programme but a Jan Andolan, and Bhagidaari, meaning “People’s Movement”.
• This programme incorporates inclusive participation of public representatives of local bodies, government departments of the state, social organizations and the public and private sector at large.
• Under PoshanAbhiyan states/UTs need to achieve convergence through the close coordination between the department of women and child welfare; health and family welfare; drinking water and sanitation; rural development; panchayati raj; education; food and other concerned departments.
• To give momentum to POSHAN Abhiyan , ‘National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges’ on 24th July 2018 decided to celebrate the month of September as RashtriyaPoshanMaah.
• During this month activities related to nutrition awareness will be carried out by all the states/UTs up to the grass root level.
• The implementing departments /agencies like women and child development department through anganwari workers, health and family welfare department through ASHA, ANM, primary health centres, community health centres, school education and literary department through schools, panchayati raj department through panchayat, and rural development trough self-help groups will carry out the activities and spread the message during the month.