The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), organised a webinar titled "Organization, Health & Prosperity: Balanced Oil Consumption for a Healthy Heart and a Healthy Life".  on 29th May, 2026 at 10:30 AM. The webinar focused on the importance of balanced edible oil consumption in the context of rising obesity and cardiovascular diseases among rural populations, and aimed to build awareness around healthy dietary practices within communities.

The webinar was chaired by Shri T.K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, MoRD, in the presence of Smt. M.G. Jayasree, Joint Secretary, DAY-NRLM, and Dr Monika, Deputy Secretary (RL), DAY-NRLM. The event was attended by Senior Officers at the National and State level, State Mission Directors, District and Block level officials, and as per preliminary figures received, more than 10 lakh SHG members participated in the webinar from across all 34 States and Union Territories.

In his opening remarks, Shri T.K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, highlighted that excessive use of oils and fats in daily cooking is a key contributor to the silent health crisis in rural India. Emphasising the DAY-NRLM approach of building healthier and empowered rural communities, he described SHG cadres as leaders, change-makers and trusted voices in their villages. He referenced the Hon'ble Prime Minister's appeal to reduce edible oil consumption, fuel consumption, and avoid non-essential purchases as a step towards economic resilience and collective national well-being.

Smt. M. G. Jayasree delivered the welcome address and set the context for the webinar. She highlighted that DAY-NRLM, with over 91 lakh SHGs reaching more than 10 crore households, is one of the world's largest women-led community networks and is uniquely positioned to drive health and nutrition awareness at the grassroots level. She emphasised that health challenges, including obesity and cardiovascular diseases, are no longer confined to urban areas and are increasingly visible in rural households. She encouraged SHGs and community cadres to take responsibility for promoting healthier cooking practices, noting that small changes if adopted by every SHG household, can lead to healthier hearts, healthier families, and a healthier nation.

The expert address was delivered by Dr. Subba Rao M Gavaravarapu, Scientist G & Head, Nutrition Information, Communication & Health Education (NICHE) Division, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. He emphasised "India faces a triple burden of malnutrition - undernutrition, obesity, and rising non-communicable diseases, and unhealthy fat consumption lies at the heart of this crisis. No single oil is perfect; ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians recommends rotating between mustard, groundnut, sesame, sunflower, and other locally available oils in strict moderation, limiting visible fat intake to 30 grams per person per day for a 2000 kcal diet. Oils must never be heated at very high temperatures for long durations, and repeated reheating of oils must be strictly avoided as it generates harmful compounds. Moving away from ultra-processed foods is equally critical. Most worrying is our children growing up on chips, sugary drinks, and packaged snacks - the habits formed today will decide the health of our nation tomorrow."

In her closing remarks, Dr. Vasudha Shukla, National Mission Manager, DAY-NRLM, thanked all participants for their enthusiastic engagement and noted that small changes in daily dietary practices can have a significant and lasting impact on health. She urged all the SHG members to carry this conversation forward to every Didi in their village through monthly SHG meetings and regular community engagement activities, so that the message of balanced edible oil consumption reaches every household in rural India.

The webinar concluded with a shared commitment to translate the learnings of the day into action at the grassroots level - that good health begins in the kitchen, and that every drop of oil saved is a step forward, in the spirit of "Sangathan, Swasthya, Samriddhi.”

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