Third Rashtriya Poshan Maah kicks off in Lakhimpur

LAKHIMPUR: The 3rd Rashtriya Poshan Maah, celebrated all over the country under the Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition or POSHAN Abhiyaan or National Nutrition Mission in order to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, started in Lakhimpur district from Thursday along with the other district of the State.

Focusing on two main themes of the mission, first on Identification of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) in children and young infants, second on plantation drive for promotion of Poshan Vatika (Nutri Garden), a day-long programme was organized by the District Social Welfare Office on Thursday under the management of District Social Welfare Officer Prashanta Borah. Lakhimpur MLA Utpal Dutta opened the Poshan Mela and a Poshan Vatika (Nutri Garden) in the premises of Lakhimpur ICDS project office campus, which was organized by District Social Welfare Office with the help of Lakgimpur ICDS project.

Deputy Commissioner of Lakhumpur, Dr Jeevan B inaugurated the Poshan Maah in the presence of social activist Dilip Dutta, secretary of Lakhimpur Lion's Club, CDPOs, ICDS units, District Poshan Ahbijan officials and supervisors and other prominent personalities.

On this occasion, a ceremonial programme was organized by Telahi Integrated Child Development Scheme in its office premises under the management of supervisors Pannabi Borah and Renuka Konwar by strictly adhering to the COVID-19 protocol. Writer-journalist Ranjit Kakati took part in the programme as guest of honour. The programme began with the lighting of ceremonial lamps by the guest of honour while Pannabi Borah explained the objectives of the programme. In his speech, the guest of honour explained the significance of the Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition and the POSHAN Maah.

The Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition or POSHAN Abhiyaan directs the attention of the country towards the problem of malnutrition and addresses it in a mission-mode. The scheme has been launched to holistically address the prevalence of malnutrition in India through the use of technology, convergence, behavioural change, training and capacity building. The month of September is celebrated as the 'Rashtriya POSHAN Maah', with the focus on improving the nutritional outcomes for children from 0-6 years, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women. So the Social Welfare Department and its officers and employees, along with the Anganwadi workers and assistants, will have to shoulder major responsibility in achieving the expected success of the mission before 2022.

"Unless the health issues pertaining to malnutrition of the pregnant women and new born babies are addressed, their holistic nutrition with mental and spiritual development cannot be achieved," said the guest of honour in his speech. In the programme, coordinator Indra Baruah highlighted the theme of POSHAN Maah, 2020.

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