Poshan 2.0

On August 31, 2021 Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt Smriti Irani announced the start of Poshan 2.0 programme which was earlier announced in the budget 2021-22. Poshan programme was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2018. This initiative is for ensuring welfare of poor and malnourished children in the country. It aims at reducing the rate of malnutrition in children across the country. It tends to protect the Severe Actual Malnourished (SAM) children in the country. The Women and Child Development Ministry has announced September 2021 as the nutrition month. In this month all the districts in the country are urged to establish Poshan Vatika i.e., nutrition garden in the respective districts. This initiative aims at ensuring health and safety of children in the country.

Overview:

Objectives & Benefits:

• The main objective of the scheme is to ensure health and wellness of children
• It tends to strengthen the nutritional status of children
• This initiative aims at reducing the rate of malnutrition in children.
• The department will conduct various awareness programmes in each district for focusing the importance of good nutrition.
• It aims to educate people on measures to reduce anemia in young women and children, build immunity, etc.
• This initiative also aims to protect the Severe Actual Malnourished (SAM) children in the country.
• Poshan Vatika is aimed to be set up in each district during the nutrition month under this initiative.

Key Points:

• Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani announced the start of Poshan 2.0 on August 31, 2021.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi started Poshan health initiative in 2018.
• It mainly aims at reducing the rate of malnutrition in children of the country.
• This initiative is for ensuring welfare of poor and malnourished children in the country.
• It tends to protect the Severe Actual Malnourished (SAM) children in the country.
• The Women and Child Development Ministry has announced September 2021 as the nutrition month.
• The state governments are urged to take up the nutrition month in their respective states.
• During the launch Smriti Irani also urged the districts to start Poshan Vatika i.e., Nutrition garden during the nutrition month for contributing to reduce malnutrition rates.
• The Women and Child Development department will also conduct various awareness programmes in each district for focusing the importance of good nutrition for the first 1000 days of a child’s life.
• The department will make efforts to educate people on measures to reduce anaemia in young women and children, build immunity, etc.
• The central government has started this initiative for reducing malnutrition rates in a phased manner thereby improving nutritional status.
• It tends to cover all the children in the country thereby ensuring their health and welfare.