“Inside The Fight For A Healthier Future: India’s Lifeline For 10 Crore Malnourished Children Poshan Abhiyan.”
In a country where 35% of children below the age of five are stunted and 67% are battling anemia, the Indian government launched Poshan Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission) in 2018 as a war cry against malnutrition. Six years later, this 1.5 lakh crore mission has become a beacon of hope for countless mothers and children. But what makes this program differenct? Let us explain its transformative objectives, milestones and obstacles.
What is Poshan Abhiyan?
The flagship program of India aimed at completely abolishing malnutrition by the year 2030 adopts the following measures:
Community Empowerment: Anganwadi workers rebranded as nutrition warriors.
Multi-Ministry Collaboration: Seamless collaboration between the Health, Women & Child Development, Education ministries.
Poshan Tracker App: Provides real time monitoring to 10 crore beneficiaries.
Objectives of Poshan Abhiyan: More Than Just Food
“Boost Birth Weight: Ensure 80% of newborns weigh ≥ 2.5 kg
Eliminate Anemia: Address 50% of women and 58% of children facing anemia.
Decrease Stunting: Target 25% cut in stunting from 38.4% (2015) by 2025.”
Awareness Revolution: Train mothers on breastfeeding, hygiene, and dietary diversity.
Focus Areas: Where the Battle is Fought
First 1000 Days: Providing nutrition support from pregnancy to 2 years old.
High Risk States: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra- accounts for 50% of malnourished kids.
Tribal Regions: Customized plans for tribal diets that are rich in millets and forest produces.
“My daughter was born underweight, Poshan Didi gave us protein packets and saved her life,” says Sunita, a mother from Jharkhand.
Success Stories: Poshan’s Unsung Heroes
“Rajasthan has seen a 12 percent drop in stunting since 2018 due to fortified rice in ICDS meals and gujarat has seen 8 lakh mothers trained via Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) workshops.”
“Digital Wins: 1.2 crore Anganwadi workers using daily Poshan Tracker app.”
Challenges: The Roadblocks to a Healthy India
Last Mile Delivery: Remote villages still lacking resources.
Social Stigma: “Plump babies are healthy” is a persisting myth.
Funding Gaps: In 2024, only 60% of allocated funds will be utilized.
How you Can Help
Volunteer: Help train Anganwadi workers through NGOs such as CRY or Unicef.
Donate: Contribute funding towards bidh mid-day meal programme.
Awareness: Poshan “Eat Right, Fight Light” campaign targeting social media.
