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The Government of India’s flagship initiative, POSHAN Abhiyaan, has played a crucial role in improving nutritional outcomes for various groups, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children under 6 years old. Launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan operates as a mission to address the challenge of malnutrition comprehensively. During the 15th Financial Commission period, Poshan Abhiyaan, the Anganwadi Services Scheme, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls were brought together under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, creating an integrated nutrition support program aimed at enhancing content, delivery, outreach, and outcomes. The primary focus remains on promoting practices that support health, wellness, and immunity against diseases and malnutrition.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 6th Rashtriya Poshan Maah throughout September 2023. This year’s objective is to address malnutrition comprehensively through a life-cycle approach, which forms the core of Mission Poshan 2.0. Grounded in this approach, Poshan Maah 2023 centers around creating awareness about critical stages of human life: pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. The goal is to promote nutritional understanding across India with the theme “Suposhit Bharat, Sakshar Bharat, Sashakt Bharat” (Nutrition-rich India, Educated India, Empowered India).
Throughout this month-long event, concentrated efforts will be made nationwide to raise awareness about nutrition through campaigns focusing on key themes like Exclusive Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding. Initiatives such as the Swasth Balak Spardha (Healthy Child Competition) aim to foster a sense of healthy competition for nutrition and overall well-being. Other activities include Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (Nutrition and Education), Improving Nutrition through Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), Tribal-Focused Nutrition Sensitization, and addressing Anemia through Test, Treat, Talk. Furthermore, the Jan Andolan movement during Poshan Maah will serve as an extended platform for collective celebration through the ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh’ campaign, commemorating the nation’s journey of freedom and progress.
Outreach programs, identification drives, camps, and home visits will take place at the village, block, and district levels, engaging various segments of the community to spread awareness about holistic nutrition. Encouraging nutrition-seeking behavior at both individual and community levels remains a crucial aspect of achieving the Abhiyaan’s goals. This objective is further pursued through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
To achieve this objective, Rashtriya Poshan Maah will be celebrated in collaboration with all stakeholders from the 1st to the 30th of September. Since the inception of the Abhiyaan, five successful Poshan Maah events have taken place across the country, with active participation from States/UTs as well as convergent Ministries and Departments. In the previous Poshan Maah in 2022, more than 170 million sensitization activities were reported across key themes. To date, over 600 million activities have been carried out as part of Jan Andolan under Poshan Pakhwadas (March) and Poshan Maahs (September) each year.
Through a diverse range of activities, Poshan Maah 2023 aims to significantly increase community involvement, leveraging the potential of Gram Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies to fulfill the Honorable Prime Minister’s vision of a well-nourished India in the Amrit Kaal.
