Why in the news?

• Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi launched the 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah campaign in Madhya Pradesh.

Rashtriya Poshan Maah

• What is it?:
  • Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) is a national campaign observed every September in India with the aim of raising awareness of nutrition in particular amongst women, children, and adolescents.
  • It is part of the POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission, launched in 2018).
• Objectives:
  • Reduce malnutrition, stunting, anaemia, and low birth weight.
  • Improve maternal and child health through community-based activities.
  • Mainstream nutrition awareness among citizens via local participation.
  • Promote behavioral change in dietary practices.
• Institutional Framework:
  • Implemented under the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
  • Works through ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services), Anganwadi workers, local self-help groups, and Panchayati Raj institutions.
  • Monitored using the Poshan Tracker App.
• Activities:
  • Poshan Panchayats, Poshan Melas, Suposhit Rath Yatras, Community Radio talks.
  • Growth monitoring drives for children.
  • Kitchen garden/Poshan Vatika promotion in Anganwadi Centres and households.
  • Yoga, fitness, breastfeeding awareness campaigns.
  • Convergence with Ministries: Health, Education, Jal Shakti, Panchayati Raj, etc.
• Significance:
  • India has a high burden of malnutrition: NFHS-5 (2019–21) cites 35.5% children under 5 stunted, 32.1% underweight, 19.3% wasted, 57% women anaemic.
  • Rashtriya Poshan Maah creates a mass movement, spreading awareness and involving multiple stakeholders.
  • Supports achievement of SDG-2 (Zero Hunger) and National Nutrition Targets (2022–25).
• Challenges:
  • Last-mile delivery gaps in Anganwadi services.
  • Awareness vs practice gap in rural & urban poor households.
  • Persistent issues of anaemia and hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency).
  • Need for convergence with agriculture, water, sanitation policies.