New Delhi: Poshan Pakhwada 2024 has begun from today which will continue till the 23rd of March. During the Pakhwada, mass sensitisation and community activities will be held around the themes including Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, dietary practices focused on sensitisation around nutrition and health of pregnant women. According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, in addition to these themes, States and partner Ministries and Departments can also organise additional sensitisation activities around other important areas. They include improving nutrition through Mission LiFE and adopting Sustainable Food Systems by promoting Millet and Poshan Vatikas at Anganwadi Centres. Besides, Diarrhea management; Tests, Treat, Talk Anemia; and Swasth Balak Spardha can also be organised to promote regular growth measurement of enrolled children at Anganwadi Centres.
In a social media post, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said that Poshan Pakhwada features the theme Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi for Early Childhood Care and Education, traditional dietary practices and maternal and child health. She added that the activities under it, highlight sustainable food systems, hygiene, anemia management and beyond. She said, that with over 90 crore sensitisation activities so far, we should catalyse nutrition-linked habit change and together we build a SuPoshit Bharat.
Akashvani correspondent reports that in the last Poshan Pakhwada held in March to April 2023, more than four crore sensitisation activities were reported which focused on themes of promotion and popularization of Millets for nutritional wellbeing, celebration of Swasth Balak Spardha, and popularizing Saksham Anganwadis. One of the key objectives of Saksham Anganwadi and Mission Poshan 2.0 is to achieve nutrition-linked behavioural change at individual and community levels through Jan Bhagidari. To inculcate healthy eating habits and mass sensitisation, Jan Andolans have been celebrated annually in the form of Poshan Pakhwada and Poshan Maah since the launch of POSHAN Abhiyaan in 2018.
