Introduction and Launch of the 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024

- The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah was recently launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development on 1st September 2024 in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

- The same ministry was also awarded the National Award for e-Governance 2024 (Gold) for the Poshan Tracker initiative.

 

In-depth on the National Awards for e-Governance 

- The National Awards for e-Governance are presented by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions annually since 2003.

- The primary purpose of these awards is to recognize achievements in e-Governance and promote and exchange experiences in solving problems, mitigating risks, resolving issues, and planning for success.

- All Central Ministries/Departments, State/UT Governments, Districts, Local Bodies, Central & State Government PSUs, Academic/Research Institutions (Government and Non –Government) are eligible to apply for these awards.

 

Exploring Rashtriya Poshan Maah

- Rashtriya Poshan Maah is an annual campaign initiated to combat malnutrition while promoting better nutrition and health practices.

- Celebrated under Poshan Abhiyan, this campaign is concentrated in September, focusing on enhancing awareness about nutrition and combating malnutrition among vulnerable groups.

- The initiative is underpinned by various activities such as plantation drives, distribution of nutritional supplements, community outreach programs, exhibitions, and educational sessions.

- The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 commenced with a nationwide plantation drive titled “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam," focusing on themes like Anaemia, Growth Monitoring, Complementary Feeding, Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, Technology for Better Governance, and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.

 

Delving into POSHAN Abhiyaan

- Launched in March 2018, the POSHAN Abhiyaan addresses malnutrition by focusing on the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children up to 6 years old.

- Administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, it aims to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia, and low birth weight.

- The Abhiyaan incorporates components like Village Health Sanitation Nutrition Day (VHSND) and ICDS-CAS (Common Application Software) for better monitoring and coordination.

 

Understanding the Poshan Tracker

- The Poshan Tracker is a mobile app designed to monitor the health and nutrition of children and pregnant women across India.

- This app provides the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) with the real-time progress of their interventions and a measure of their impact.

- It uses WHO standards to measure a child's growth and recommends corrective action based on the gathered inputs.

 

Anaemia and its prevalence in India and Globally

- Anaemia is a medical condition characterised by a lesser number of red blood cells or a reduced concentration of haemoglobin within these cells, needed for oxygen transfer in the body.

- Caused by inadequate intake or absorption of essential nutrients including iron, folate, vitamins B12, and vitamin A, it affects 40% of children between 6–59 months and approximately 37% of pregnant women globally.

- As per NFHS 5 (2019-21), in India,29.1% of adolescent boys, 59.1% of adolescent girls, 52.2% of pregnant women, and 67.1% of children suffer from anaemia.  

In essence, the 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 exemplifies India's vigorous efforts to combat malnutrition and push towards healthier lifestyles whilst underlining the essential role of technology in Governance and Health sectors.