To improve nutritional outcomes among the children from 0-6 years of age, Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0) by subsuming Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent girls (14-18 years, in Aspirational Districts and North-Eastern region). It is a Centrally Sponsored Mission, where the responsibility for implementation of various activities lies with the States and UTs. This Mission includes beneficiaries; children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls (14-18 years, in Northeastern States and Aspirational Districts) of the country.

The Ministry introduced ‘Poshan Tracker’ application as an important governance tool in March 2021 for monitoring and tracking of all Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and beneficiaries on defined indicators under Mission Poshan 2.0. It has facilitated near real time data collection for Anganwadi Services such as, opening of AWCs, daily attendance of children, ECCE activities, Growth Monitoring of children, distribution of Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) and Take-Home Ration (THR) etc. Poshan Tracker application has enabled to review the implementation of the scheme on various parameters and to make course correction. For last mile tracking of service delivery, Facial Recognition System (FRS) has been introduced in Poshan Tracker app for distribution of Take-Home Ration to ensure that benefit is given only to the intended beneficiary registered in Poshan Tracker. The details of the nutritional indicators, children benefited and progress of the scheme in all States and UTs, including Shahjahanpur constituency are available at Poshan Tracker dashboard: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.

Under Mission Poshan 2.0 a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for improved health, wellness and immunity through activities like community engagement, outreach, behavioural change and advocacy. It focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding Norms, treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)/ Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce prevalence of wasting, stunting, anaemia and being underweight.

Under this Mission, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls in accordance with the nutrition norms contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act, 2013. These norms have been revised in January 2023. The old norms were largely calorie-specific; however, the revised norms are more comprehensive and balanced in terms of both quantity and quality of supplementary nutrition based on the principles of diet diversity that provides for quality protein, healthy fats and micronutrients (Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Dietary Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin-B6 and Vitamin B-12). Extra Supplementary Nutrition in the form of Take-Home Ration (THR) is provided to Severely Acutely Malnourished (SAM) children.

Also, Ministry of Women & Child Development and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare have jointly released the Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in Children to prevent and treat severely acute malnutrition in children and for reducing associated morbidity and mortality. The community-based approach involves timely detection and screening of children with severe acute malnutrition in the community, management for those without medical complications with wholesome, local nutritious foods at home and supportive medical care.

Under this Mission, one of the major activities undertaken is Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects as adoption of good nutrition habit requires sustained efforts for behavioural change. State and UTs are conducting and reporting regular sensitisation activities under Jan Andolans during Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada celebrated in the months of September and March-April respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in changing nutritional practices and all Anganwadi workers are required to conduct two Community Based Events every month.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question.

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SS