Poshan Maah | 31 Aug 2020
Why in News
Under Poshan Abhiyaan, the month of September is observed as Poshan Maah i.e. Nutrition month every year, since 2018.
- ‘Agricultural Fund of India’ is being created to have complete information about the crops that are grown in each district and their related nutritional value.
Key Points
- Poshan Maah:
- It includes a month-long activities focussed on antenatal care, optimal breastfeeding, anaemia, growth monitoring, girls education, diet, right age of marriage, hygiene and sanitation and eating healthy (food fortification).
- The activities focus on Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) and are based on Jan Andolan Guidelines.
- SBCC is the strategic use of communication approaches to promote changes in knowledge, attitudes, norms, beliefs and behaviours.
- Jan Andolan is one of the strategies under the Poshan Abhiyaan.
- A food and nutrition quiz as well as meme competition will be organized on the My Gov portal.
- A unique kind of nutrition park has been created at Statue of Unity (Gujarat), where one can witness nutrition related education along with fun and frolic.
- Poshan Abhiyan: Also called as the National Nutrition Mission, it is Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Poshan implies ‘Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition’.
- Launch: It was launched by the Prime Minister on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on 8th March, 2018 from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.
- Implemented By: Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Targets:
- To reduce stunting, underweight, and low birth weight, each by 2% per year; and anaemia among young children, adolescents and women each by 3% per year until 2022.
- The minimum target to reduce stunting is 2% every year, but the mission will strive to bring it down from 38.4% in 2016 to 25% by 2022.