Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrated `Poshan Pakhwada’ (a forthnight long public campaign on the importance of nutrition) from 16 to 31 March this year. The initiative has been taken in a response to the pressing concern of malnutrition, anemia and other nutritional related problems, with an aim of improving the nutritional index of women and children across the country through mass awareness.
The key focus areas for `Poshan Pakhwada’ this year revolved around organizing `Poshan Panchayats’ and village and district levels and addressing nutritional challenges. With the same goal, administrators in various districts of the country were taking steps to make people aware about nutritious diet and the benefits of various vegetables and fruits.
During the same time, the policy think-tank of the Government of India, Niti Aayog, recognized the efforts shown by some aspirational districts across the country. Districts like Begusarai in Bihar, Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh etc. were included in the list.
We at Indian Masterminds spoke with IAS officer Mr Topeshwar Verma, who is currently serving as the District Magistrate of Rajnandgaon, and got to know about the initiatives taken in the district during the `Poshan Pakhwada’ 2021.
POSHAN RATH YATRA
While speaking about `Poshan Pakhwada’, Mr. Verma said “During Poshan Maah, a one-month campaign celebrated in the month of March, the district observed the Poshan Pakhwada. The beneficiaries who come to the anganwadi centres are made aware about nutritious diet and various kinds of vegetables, fruits, cereal, protein being provided by the administration at the local level. Apart from some basic vegetables and fruits, people are not aware about the other nutritious food which is required for obtaining adequate vitamin and protein for the body.”
To spread awareness among the children and women suffering from iron deficiency and other nutrition related problem, the Collector launched the ‘Poshan Rath Yatra’. A mini-truck of ‘Poshan Rath’ was given a green signal by Mr. Verma to travel in the whole district for 15 days. The truck was covered with posters and banners of `Poshan Pakhwada’ 2021 and had a recorded audio for spreading awareness among the people.
OTHER CAMPAIGNS
The district administration also tried its hands on various other things to spread awareness by mobilizing anganwadi workers and other local people. Stalls were organized in anganwadi centres where the workers spread information about 36 different vegetables and other nutritious values. The stalls were inspected by the District Collector where he appreciated the efforts shown by the anganwadi workers, and also got information of the different varieties of vegetables displayed at the stalls.
Apart from this, various competitions were organized in which enthusiastic teenagers aged from 14 to 18 years participated. An online `rangoli’ competition was organized in which children used various props like vegetables, grains, cereals, fruits to make a `rangoli’.
Another competition was organized for older people. This was an online salad decoration contest in which the participants used their creative mind to make designs with the help of vegetables.
These creative campaigns taken up by the administration has helped in spreading awareness among large number of people.
