13.7 million activities reported across India in Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has reported 1.37 crore activities in 752 districts of 35 states and Union territories by the sixth day of Rashtriya Poshan Maah.

Leading contributors to the campaign include Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, an official statement said.

Launched on August 31 at Mahatma Mandir in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, the seventh edition of Poshan Maah focuses on critical themes such as anaemia prevention, growth monitoring, complementary feeding and the integration of education with nutrition through the "Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi" initiative.

The campaign also promotes environmental sustainability with the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiative, with tree planting at over 13.95 lakh Anganwadi centres across the country.

Among the reported activities, over 39 lakh focused on anaemia, 27 lakh on growth monitoring, 20 lakh on complementary feeding and 18.5 lakh on the "Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi" initiative.

Additionally, eight lakh activities supported environmental sustainability.

The Poshan Tracker app has facilitated the monitoring of over 10 lakh activities under "Technology for Better Governance," improving the implementation and tracking of nutrition programs.

Convergence with various ministries has amplified the campaign's reach to grassroot levels, since its inception in 2018.

This year, the Union Ministry of Education led the contributions with 1.38 lakh activities, followed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with 1.17 lakh activities, Union Ministry of Rural Development with 1.07 lakh, Union Ministry of Ayush with 69,000, and the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj with 64,000 activities, it said.

Key activities have included anaemia camps for children, adolescent girls, and women of reproductive age, growth measurement drives, and demonstrations on complementary feeding.

Furthermore, outreach activities focusing on dietary diversity and environmental protection have been held, with initiatives like toy-making workshops, early childhood education promotion and urban slum-based growth measurement drives, the statement said.