The month of September every year is celebrated as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah or the National Nutrition Month across the country. The Ministry of Rural Development (M/oRD) is leveraging this occasion to intensively disseminate key messages to all intended beneficiaries on positive nutritional behaviours and practices. The activities during the month will be centred on key themes like Mahila and Swasthya, Bachcha and Shiksha – Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, gender-sensitive water conservation and management, and traditional food for women and children in tribal areas.

Poshan Abhiyaan aims to improve the nutritional status of women, pregnant and lactating mothers, children and adolescents, etc., and people’s participation (Jan Andolan) and community mobilization are essential components of this endeavour. The Ministry of Women & Child Development aims to convert this Jan Andolan into a Jan Bhagidari by activating Poshan Panchayats in villages and making the Gram Panchayats and the Sarpanch the fulcrum of activities.

To initiate POSHAN Maah celebrations, all necessary advisories and guidelines including an activity calendar have been issued to the State Rural Livelihood Missions and a video conference with all State Mission Directors/CEOs and state nodal persons was held yesterday by Smt. Nita Kejrewal, Joint Secretary, M/oRD to discuss and plan preparations. The Ministry is also actively looking at building convergences with other line departments at the state level and enhancing participation by ASHA, and Anganwadi Workers in the Village Organization meetings. Towards this, the Ministry has suggested the formation of the State Core Committee and holding regular meetings for facilitation.

All State Missions under the DAY-NRLM are observing POSHAN Maah with full vigour under the guidance and support of the national Mission. Apart from activities such as Poshan Rallies, Poshan Rangolis, Poshan Pledges, recipe competitions, and promotion of Agri-Nutri-Gardens, a traditional Millet Food Festival is also being considered. Under Food, Nutrition, Health & WASH (FNHW) component of DAY-NRLM, FNHW Digital Toolkit was formally launched to provide standard and uniform messaging across materials on the identified FNHW topics and operational aspects. This comprises resource material such as flipbooks, facilitator guides, posters, counselling cards, Standard Operating Procedures, etc.  The Toolkit has been developed with the support of technical agencies i.e BMGF supported TA to NRLM (PCI) and inputs from UNICEF supported ROSHNI Centre.

States have been urged to diligently follow COVID-19 prevention protocols and maximally utilize the technology platforms for disseminating key messages and reaching SHGs and their families.

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