Sikkim kicks off 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024, emphasising malnutrition

The Women and Child Development Department (WCDD) in Sikkim celebrated the opening ceremony of the month-long 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024, at Khel Gaon, Reshithang on September 2.

Samdup Lepcha, Minister, Social Welfare, Women and Child Development and Printing and Stationery Departments graced the event as the chief guest. 

He was accompanied by Bandana Rai, Additional Secretary, WCDD, Sonam Lhamu Bhutia, Joint Director, WCDD, officials from Women and Child Development Department, Anganwadi workers, ICDS teachers and students.

The event is celebrated every year under POSHAN Abhiyan (PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) across the country from September 1 till September 30, with an objective of tackling malnutrition in a life-circle approach, a key component of Mission Poshan 2.0. 

Anaemia, growth monitoring, complementary feeding, “Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi”, technology for better governance, and 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' are the focus themes of 7th Poshan Maah.

Samdup Lepcha, in his address, commended the initiation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching an integrated nutrition support programme to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach, and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition.

It may be informed that Poshan Abhiyaan was launched by the prime minister on March 8, 2018 in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan. The focus of Abhiyaan is to lay emphasis on nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers and children from 0-6 years age. 

The opening programme started off with torch bearing ceremony by Dirty Angel Motorcycle Club (DAMC), the first registered Motorcycle NGO of Sikkim. The torch was further passed on to the Minister, after which he officially inaugurated the programme.

To take the programme forward, the gathering participated in a pledge taking ceremony administered by the Minister.

The chief guest visited a Food Guide Pyramid, handcrafted with mud by Team ICDS and Nutrition, Mangan District. The indigenous food pyramid, was a powerful reminder of the balanced earth friendly diet of our ancestors. 

Addressing the programme, Bandana Rai, Additional Secretary, WCDD, expressed her gratitude towards Dirty Angel Motorcycle Club, Paragliders, ICDS students and Anganwadi workers for their enthusiasm and active participation.

This month-long event will witness concentrated efforts to enhance ground-level nutritional awareness through campaigns focusing on key themes around Exclusive Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding. Activities like Swasth Balak Spardha (Healthy Child Competition) aim to instill a spirit of healthy competition for nutrition and overall well-being, she informed.

Rai further urged everyone to take part in this event and announced Rashtritya Poshan Maah 2024 open.

Earlier in her welcome address, Sonam Lhamu Bhutia, Joint Director, WCDD emphasised on how various activities in this event shall have a huge impact for the betterment of tomorrow. 

“The objective of the Poshan Maah is to ensure community mobilisation and bolster people’s participation for addressing malnutrition amongst young children, and women and to ensure health and nutrition to everyone,” she added.

During the programme, Poshan song was launched by Ms Eden from Chungthang, and composed by Ms Yanchi Tamang, Anganwadi Worker.

The event also witnessed cultural performances, by AWWs of Soreng Rural Project.

The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Lhanzey Donka Denzongpa, Deputy Director, WCDD.