Focus on nutri-gardens for anganwadis during 'Poshan Maah': WCD to states

"Under the chairmanship of Secretary Ram Mohan Mishra, @MinistryWCD organised an interactive curtain-raiser webinar with partnered ministries, stakeholders and states and UTs for #PoshanMaah2020 on upscaling the endeavour for nutrition," the WCD ministry said in a tweet. "Secretary, @MinistryWCD also urge the states and UTs to focus on the initiative of nutri-gardens in each Anganwadi Centre, the importance of breastfeeding and tackling the problem of SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition) children during the celebration of #POSHANMaah2020 this year," the ministry tweeted.

The Women and Child Development Ministry on Monday urged states and Union territories to focus on the nutri-garden initiative for anganwadis, the importance of breastfeeding and tackling severe acute malnutrition during 'Poshan Maah'. Every year September is celebrated as 'Poshan Maah' (National Nutrition Month) to mark the country's fight against malnutrition.

During the month, the government organises programmes to spread awareness on the issues related to malnutrition like stunting, anemia and low birth weight in children and focus on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. "Under the chairmanship of Secretary Ram Mohan Mishra, @MinistryWCD organised an interactive curtain-raiser webinar with partnered ministries, stakeholders and states and UTs for #PoshanMaah2020 on upscaling the endeavour for nutrition," the WCD ministry said in a tweet.

"Secretary, @MinistryWCD also urge the states and UTs to focus on the initiative of nutri-gardens in each Anganwadi Centre, the importance of breastfeeding and tackling the problem of SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition) children during the celebration of #POSHANMaah2020 this year," the ministry tweeted. To tackle malnutrition, the government is identifying locally available nutritious food in different parts of the country that can be grown at Anganwadi centres. These gardens are called nutri-gardens.

According to the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), 38.4 per cent children under five years of age are stunted or low height-for-age and 21 per cent wasted or low weight-for-height in India. As many as 48.3 per cent of children in Bihar under five are stunted, the survey said.