The Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrated the Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 from 1st to 30th September, focusing on the themes ‘Mahila aur Swasthya’ (Women and Health) and ‘Bacha aur Shiksha’ (Child and Education).
The Government of India’s flagship initiative, MPOSHAN Abhiyaan, aims to enhance the nutritional outcomes of children, adolescents, pregnant women, and lactating mothers by utilising technology, a focused approach, and collaboration. Unlike a regular program, POSHAN Abhiyaan is envisioned as a Jan Andolan, or ‘People’s Movement,’ emphasising participation and partnership. Know more on Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme.
It encourages the involvement of public representatives, government departments, social organisations, and the public and private sectors.
POSHAN Abhiyaan encompasses the impactful interventions of 18 Ministries/Departments, particularly during the crucial first 1000 days of a child’s life, starting from conception.
Each collaborating Ministry/Department develops a nutrition-focused action plan and integrates it with their ongoing initiatives. The program sets specific targets to address issues like stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia, and low birth weight babies, with the aim of reducing their prevalence.
What is POSHAN Abhiyaan?
On 8th March 2018, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched POSHAN Abhiyaan in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
POSHAN Abhiyaan serves as a platform for coordinating the efforts of various stakeholders to achieve the objective of a ‘Suposhit Bharat’ or ‘Nutritionally Fit India.’ Within POSHAN Abhiyaan, the impactful initiatives of 18 Ministries/Departments have been outlined, with a particular focus on the first 1000 days of a child’s life, starting from conception. Each collaborating Ministry/Department formulates a nutrition-related action plan and integrates it with their ongoing activities.
NITI Aayog has played a crucial role in shaping POSHAN Abhiyaan. In September 2017, NITI Aayog released the National Nutrition Strategy (NNS), which thoroughly examined the persistent issues in the nutrition field and proposed a comprehensive strategy for corrective measures. Many of the recommendations from the NNS were incorporated into the design of POSHAN Abhiyaan.
What is the Target of this Scheme?
The aim of the Abhiyaan is to decrease the prevalence of stunting in children aged 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by the year 2022.
What Are the Goals and the Target Groups Covered Under POSHAN Abhiyaan?
The objectives of POSHAN Abhiyaan are to attain time-bound improvements in the nutritional well-being of children aged 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. These goals are set with specific targets to be achieved within a three-year timeframe.
| S.No | Target Group | Target |
| 1 | Children (0-6 years) | Reduce Stunting by 6% @ 2% p.a. |
| 2 | Children (0-6 years) | Reduce under-nutrition by 6% @ 2% p.a. |
| 3 | Young children (6-59 months) | Reduce prevalence of anaemia by 9% @ 3% p.a. |
| 4 | Women and Adolescent Girls (age group: 15-49 years) | Reduce prevalence of anaemia by 9% @ 3% p.a. |
| 5 | All infants with Low Birth Weight (LBW) | Reduce Low Birth Weight by 6% @ 2% p.a. |
What Are the Objectives of the POSHAN Abhiyaan Scheme?
The goal of POSHAN Abhiyaan is to decrease stunting in districts with the highest malnutrition rates by enhancing the utilisation and quality of key anganwadi services. The initiative emphasises the importance of coordination and convergence, ensuring that the advantages of various government schemes and programs are accessible to women and children during the critical first 1000 days of a child’s life.
How Many States/Districts Are Covered Under This Scheme?
| Year | States/Districts to be covered |
| 2017-18 | The coverage includes 315 common districts selected in descending order of stunting prevalence from the pool of 201 districts identified by NITI Aayog using data from the National Family Health Survey-4, along with 162 ISSNIP (ICDS Systems Strengthening & Nutrition Improvement Program) districts and 106 districts of Scheme for Adolescent Girls. |
| 2018-19 | Approximately 235 districts will be identified based on the status of under-nutrition in various States/UTs, generally determined by the prevalence of stunting. |
| 2019-20 | The remaining districts from all 36 States/UTs will be covered during this period. |
What Are the Features of POSHAN Abhiyaan?
The key features of Poshan Abhiyaan are as follows:
- Implementation of a comprehensive package of high-impact interventions, focusing primarily on the critical first 1000 days of a child’s life, while also addressing other stages of development.
- Strengthening the delivery of these interventions by introducing the Integrated Child Development Services – Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS), which utilises technology for efficient management and monitoring of nutrition-related activities.
- Enhancing the capabilities of frontline workers through the Incremental Learning Approach (ILA) mechanism, enabling them to effectively carry out their roles.
- Promoting convergence among frontline workers, including ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist), Anganwadi workers, and ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife), through joint incentives based on performance.
- Encouraging cross-sectoral convergence to recognise the multifaceted nature of malnutrition, mapping different schemes contributing to addressing malnutrition.
- Establishing convergence committees at the state, district, and block levels to facilitate decentralised and integrated planning and implementation. These committees receive support through flexipool and innovation funds, encouraging the development of context-specific solutions.
- Scaling up behaviour change communication and community mobilisation through Jan Andolan, a nationwide campaign aimed at promoting nutrition-related behaviour change. It utilises community-based events, mass media, and various approaches to reach a wide audience.
What is the Role of NITI Aayog in This Scheme?
NITI Aayog has played a pivotal role in shaping POSHAN Abhiyaan. In September 2017, NITI Aayog released the National Nutrition Strategy, which conducted a detailed analysis of persistent issues in the nutrition field and formulated a comprehensive strategy for corrective measures. Many of the recommendations outlined in the strategy document were integrated into the design of POSHAN Abhiyaan.
NITI Aayog has been assigned several responsibilities, including:
- Facilitating convergence and establishing clear roles among various ministries and states.
- Providing oversight for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the mission.
- Offering technical support to ensure effective execution of POSHAN Abhiyaan.
- Mobilising philanthropic organisations and other stakeholders to foster a Jan Andolan (People’s Movement) around POSHAN.
As part of its mandate, the National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges, chaired by the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, is required to submit a biannual report on the implementation status of POSHAN Abhiyaan to the Prime Minister.
What is the Rashtriya POSHAN Maah Celebration?
To encourage community engagement and enhance public participation, the month of September is dedicated as POSHAN Maah (Nutrition Month) throughout the country.
The primary objective of POSHAN Abhiyaan is to increase awareness and promote responsible nutrition practices among mothers of young children, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, as well as family members, including husbands, fathers, mothers-in-law, and community members. Health care providers such as ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives), ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists), and Anganwadi workers also play a crucial role in disseminating vital nutrition-related information.
In alignment with India’s celebration of the Azadi Amrit Mahotsav, the entire month of September has been divided into weekly themes. This division allows for a targeted and cohesive approach to improving holistic nutrition, ensuring extensive and efficient outreach efforts.
What Are the Pillars of POSHAN Abhiyaan?
The implementation of POSHAN Abhiyaan is based on the following core strategies or pillars:
- ICDS-CAS: The use of Integrated Child Development Services – Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS) is a key component of the mission.
- Convergence: The mission emphasises the importance of convergence among various stakeholders and sectors to achieve its goals.
- Behavioural Change, IEC Advocacy: Promoting behavioural change, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) advocacy play a crucial role in the mission’s implementation.
- Training and Capacity Building: Training programs and capacity building initiatives are conducted to enhance the skills and knowledge of frontline workers and stakeholders involved in POSHAN Abhiyaan.
- Innovations: The mission encourages innovative approaches and solutions to address nutrition-related challenges.
- Incentives: Incentive mechanisms are in place to motivate and recognise the efforts of individuals and organisations involved in the mission.
- Grievance Redressal: A grievance redressal mechanism ensures that concerns and complaints related to POSHAN Abhiyaan are addressed promptly and effectively.
What Are the Events Under POSHAN Abhiyaan?
Community Based Events (CBE):
CBEs are observed on the 8th and 22nd of each month in all anganwadis. These events focus on various themes such as Annaprasan Diwas (Introduction to solid food), Suposhan Diwas (Nutrition Day), preparing children for preschool at the Anganwadi Centre, promoting public health messages for better nutrition and reduced illnesses, and more. The estimated expenditure for each event per Anganwadi Centre is ₹ 250, totaling to ₹ 15.58 crore.
Village Health Sanitation Nutrition Day (VHSND):
VHSND is conducted regularly on the 15th of every month, in collaboration with the health department and the Gram Panchayat. This initiative emphasises the integration of health, sanitation, and nutrition services at the village level.
What Are the Progress and Achievements Made Under POSHAN Abhiyaan?
Under POSHAN Abhiyaan, all districts across 36 States/UTs have been included in the implementation plan.
- Regular state, district, and block-level convergence meetings are conducted in most States/UTs.
- Smartphones procurement has been coordinated through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Portal. States/UTs are in various stages of procuring smartphones.
- Comprehensive guidelines and manuals covering all aspects of the ICDSCAS software and implementation have been finalised, printed, and distributed up to the district level.
- A dedicated Call Centre has been established to address interventions and gather beneficiary feedback.
- Comprehensive Jan Andolan Guidelines have been prepared in consultation with partners and shared with States/UTs for implementation.
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Song & Drama Division has been engaged in conducting nationwide programs.
- A Mass Media Campaign has been launched through television and radio channels.
- September 2018 was observed as Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) across the country, with the participation of approximately 25 crore people and the organisation of over 20 lakh activities.
- Functionaries are trained on thematic modules through the Incremental Learning Approach (ILA), following a cascade training model involving State Resource Groups (SRGs), District Resource Groups (DRGs), and Block Resource Groups (BRGs). Twenty-one ILA modules have been provided to States/UTs, and the rollout has commenced.
- Community Based Events (CBEs) are conducted in a coordinated manner at Anganwadi Centers, involving field functionaries.
What Was the Fund Allocated Under POSHAN Abhiyaan?
On 30th November, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the establishment of the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) with a budget of ₹ 9,046.17 crore for the year 2017-18.
The allocation of funds under POSHAN Abhiyaan has increased over the past three years. It rose from ₹ 950.00 crore in 2017-18 to ₹ 3,061.30 crore in 2018-19 and further to ₹ 3,400.00 crore in 2019-20.
In 2020-2021, POSHAN Abhiyaan encouraged States/UTs to implement replicable nutrition-centric innovations, with a budgetary allocation of ₹ 27.85 lakhs per district for the project’s entire duration. States/UTs have the flexibility to choose and scale up innovative pilots according to their requirements and progress. As of now, 26 States/UTs have received approval for their innovation plans from the State-Level Steering Committee (SLSC) and have commenced the implementation process.
To facilitate the expansion and replication of successful nutrition-centric innovative models, POSHAN Abhiyaan provides Flexi-funds to States/UTs, amounting to 7% of the total programmatic components under the Abhiyaan.
FAQs:
What is the motto of Poshan Abhiyan launched by the prime minister?
From 1st to 30th September 2022, the Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrated the Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022. The theme of the Poshan Abhiyaan during this period revolved around 'Mahila aur Swasthya' (Women and Health) and 'Bacha aur Shiksha' (Child and Education).
Who are the beneficiaries of the PM Poshan scheme?
From 2021-22 to 2025-26, a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme will be implemented to offer one hot cooked meal to all school children studying in Classes I-VIII in Government and Government-Aided Schools.
Which state has topped in implementing the POSHAN Abhiyaan scheme?
According to the report, Maharashtra emerged as the leading state in effectively implementing the Poshan Abhiyaan scheme, securing the top rank among all states.
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