11,000 Saksham Anganwadi centres to be inaugurated at Poshan Maah

More than 11,000 Saksham Anganwadi centres will be inaugurated virtually during the closing ceremony of this year's Poshan Maah campaign in Ranchi on Monday.

The Women and Child Development Ministry said Saksham Anganwadis are strengthened, upgraded and rejuvenated Anganwadis for improved nutrition and early childhood care and education (ECCE).

Some of the special features of a Saksham Anganwadi Centre include improved infrastructure such as LED screens, water filtration system, material for ECCE, building as a learning aid (BALA) paintings and Poshan Vatika that gives access to diverse plants and herbs that help in fighting malnutrition.

The event will be attended by Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, the state's Minister for Women, Child Development and Social Security Baby Devi and Sanjay Seth, the Minister of State for Defence.

The seventh Rashtriya Poshan Maah, celebrated from September 1 to 30, focused on key areas such as anaemia reduction, growth monitoring, complementary feeding, and the integration of education with nutrition under the 'Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi' initiative.

The campaign also promoted environmental sustainability through the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative, encouraging plantation drives at Anganwadi centres across the country.

During the month-long campaign, states and Union territories carried out around 12 crore activities to improve child nutrition and health.

An exhibition highlighting various aspects of Mission Poshan 2.0 will also be held at the venue.

The mission, launched in 2021, continues to build momentum through collaborations between ministries and departments, focusing on grassroots-level nutrition awareness and education, a statement from the ministry said.

The closing ceremony of Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 will celebrate these collective efforts to build a healthier and nourished India, with Saksham Anganwadi Centres playing a crucial role in ensuring better nutrition and early childhood education, it added.