Bhopal: Director, Women and Child Development Dr. Ram Rao Bhonsale has said that ‘Poshan Panchayat’ will be organised in every Anganwadi centre during the Poshan month being organised in the current month of September. He said that in order to make the poshan month a mass movement, it is necessary that there should be maximum participation of the people at every level and they should be made aware about nutrition and health. In view of this, it has been decided to organise ‘Poshan Panchayat’ at each Anganwadi centre during the month of Poshan. In this regard, after preparing the calendar at the district level, necessary instructions have been issued to all the concerned departments under the guidance of the District Collector.
Director Dr. Bhonsale told that the main objective of ‘Poshan Panchayat’ is to give five mantras of better nutrition to the general public, importance of nutrition and health services in the first 1000 golden days of life, encourage children-adolescent girls-pregnant and lactating women to take diverse food and iron tablets to prevent anaemia, diarrhoea management – use of zinc, ORS solution and to introduce the behaviour of personal hygiene, cleanliness and sanitation. He said that apart from this, nutrition dialogue will be held on the importance of Poshan Vatika in the context of nutrition to the general public, physical measurement and growth monitoring of children and the use of community growth charts. During the Poshan Panchayat, the importance of balanced diet and hygiene during menstruation, demonstration of locally available coarse grain based nutritious food/additional diet and their benefits will be discussed. Apart from this, the My Centre-Clean and Beautiful Centre campaign will be started. Along with this, with the participation of the community, public will be made aware with information about nutrition matka and supplementary nutritious food.
The Poshan Panchayat will include Panchayat representatives at Anganwadi level, Sarpanchs, Panchs, Panchayat Secretaries, village ad-hoc committee officials, beneficiaries of the area and the male and female members of their families, women group members of the State Livelihood Mission and representatives of community-based organisations.
Anganwadi and ASHA workers, assistants, ANMs, MPWs, concerned supervisors, working staff of health department and other departments will also be participants in the poshan panchayat.
