Poshan Abhiyaan, launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 8th March 2018 in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, is a flagship initiative aimed at tackling malnutrition in India. The program focuses on improving the nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children (0-6 years). Using technology, convergence, and community involvement, the initiative addresses stunting, undernutrition, anemia, and low birth weight, thereby fostering a holistic approach to wellness.

Key Objectives

The primary goals of Poshan Abhiyaan are to:

1. Prevent and reduce stunting in children aged 0-6 years.

2. Prevent and reduce undernutrition (underweight prevalence) in children aged 0-6 years.

3. Reduce anemia prevalence among young children (6-59 months).

4. Reduce anemia prevalence among women and adolescent girls aged 15-49 years.

5. Reduce low birth weight (LBW) prevalence.

Strategic Pillars of Poshan Abhiyaan

The program is built on four key pillars that serve as its foundation:

1. Access to Quality Services:Essential health services are delivered through schemes such as Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS),National Health Mission (NHM) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).It gives special focus to the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, which are crucial for development.

2. Cross-Sectoral Convergence:Ministries work collaboratively to tackle malnutrition, including Swachh Bharat Mission for sanitation and National Drinking Water Mission for improved water access.

3. Leveraging Technology:The Poshan Tracker Application is used for real-time data collection, monitoring, and decision-making.

4. Jan Andolan (Mass Movement):Community engagement is a central focus, encouraging behavior change and mass awareness on nutrition.

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0

In 2021, the Government approved Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a strategic upgrade to develop practices for health, wellness, and immunity.

Key Features:

1. Anganwadi Centers (AWCs):

• 14,00,117 AWCs operate across 36 States/UTs, benefiting over 10 crore eligible beneficiaries.

• Infrastructure improvements include:

• 6,77,843 AWCs with their own buildings.

• 10,07,635 AWCs with functional toilets.

• 12,43,472 AWCs with access to drinking water.

2. Anganwadi Workforce:

• 13,30,966 Anganwadi Workers are actively engaged in delivering nutritional benefits.

Leveraging Technology for Service Delivery

Poshan Tracker Application

• Anganwadi workers use mobile apps to record and monitor real-time data.

• A web-based dashboard provides centralized insights for State and Ministry-level decision-making.

ICDS-CAS Platform

• Strengthens Anganwadi Services, ensuring timely and effective service delivery to beneficiaries.

 

Since its launch, Poshan Abhiyaan has made significant strides in reducing stunting, undernutrition, and anemia.It has strengthened inter-ministerial collaboration to address malnutrition holistically and enhance public awareness and encourage community participation in addressing nutritional challenges.Poshan Abhiyaan is a transformative initiative in India’s fight against malnutrition. With its integrated approach of leveraging technology, fostering convergence across ministries, and mobilizing communities, the program has laid a strong foundation for improving maternal and child nutrition.

 

To ensure sustained success, continued efforts in service delivery, policy innovation, and behavioral change are essential. With unwavering government commitment and active community involvement, Poshan Abhiyaan is poised to nourish India’s future generations and secure a healthier, malnutrition-free India.