GS II-Schemes
Context:
The 7th edition of Poshan Pakhwada is being observed from April 8 to 23, 2025.
About Poshan Pakhwada
Poshan Pakhwada is a yearly nationwide campaign under the broader framework of Poshan Abhiyaan, dedicated to enhancing nutritional outcomes—particularly among women and children.
Primary Goal:
To eliminate malnutrition through behavioral transformation at the individual, family, and community levels.
Focus Areas of 2025 Edition:
- Promoting the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life (from conception to two years of age).
- Wider adoption of the Beneficiary Module on the Poshan Tracker app.
- Effective implementation of the Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) module.
- Encouraging healthy habits and lifestyle to combat childhood obesity.
Poshan Tracker App
This is a digital monitoring tool that enables real-time data collection and tracking of nutrition-related services being provided at Anganwadi Centres throughout the country. It plays a pivotal role in strengthening service delivery and monitoring.
About POSHAN Abhiyaan
POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan was launched in March 2018 to improve nutritional indicators across various vulnerable groups.
Key Focus Groups:
- Adolescent girls
- Pregnant women
- Lactating mothers
- Children aged 0 to 6 years
Core Objective:
To bring about a systemic and strategic transformation in the way nutritional support is delivered across the country.
Implementation Mechanism:
It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, operational through State/UT governments.
Mission Poshan 2.0
An integrated umbrella scheme combining the efforts of POSHAN Abhiyaan and the Saksham Anganwadi initiative, operational during the 15th Finance Commission period (2021–2026).
Key Components:
- Promotion of dietary diversity
- Food fortification
- Integration of traditional food knowledge
- Special emphasis on millet consumption
Mission Objectives
- Reduce stunting in children aged 0–6 years
- Decrease underweight prevalence in the same age group
- Curb anaemia in children (6–59 months)
- Lower anaemia rates in women and adolescent girls (15–49 years)
- Address the issue of low birth weight (LBW) infants
Strategic Pillars of Poshan Abhiyaan
- Quality Access to Services: Ensuring timely health and nutrition services through schemes like:
- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
- National Health Mission (NHM)
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
- Inter-Ministerial Convergence: Collaboration with other ministries such as those overseeing sanitation (Swachh Bharat Mission) and drinking water (Jal Jeevan Mission).
- Use of Technology: Tools like the Poshan Tracker enable real-time monitoring, data analysis, and accountability.
- Jan Andolan (People’s Movement): Community participation and mass awareness campaigns to bring about behavioral changes around nutrition.
Rashtriya Poshan Maah
Celebrated annually in September, this national nutrition month is an important outreach initiative under POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Purpose:
To galvanize community involvement, enhance awareness on malnutrition, and encourage public participation in the nutrition mission—ensuring better health for women and children.