Along with the rest of the country, Nagaland state is celebrating Rashtriya Poshan Maah-National Nutritional Month taking up various activities based on action plan of Convergent Government Departments and working towards successful implementation of the nation-wide mega mission. The state has been working tirelessly with the initiative of Social Welfare as nodal department for the campaign of Poshan Maah and a lot has been achieved so far.
The nation is observing the month long ‘Nutrition Month’ with an aim of reaching every household with the message, ‘Har Ghar Poshan Tyohar’ – every house a celebration of nutrition. Poshan Maah aims to ensure service delivery and interventions by use of technology, behavioral change through convergence and lays down specific targets to be achieved.
It is a Multi-Sectoral convergence amongst several ministries and departments across platforms, synergized campaigns and common messaging being celebrated at all levels that is from national to the village level.
Rashtriya Poshan Maah is a part of Poshan Abhiyan, a national flagship programme and is a Prime Minister Over-arching scheme for Holistic Nourishment, aiming to achieve improvement in the Nutritional status of children from 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers in a time bound manner. The purpose of the mission is to eradicate malnutrition or undernourishment over the country by 2022 by ensuring convergence of various nutrition-related scheme for better and effective delivery to the targeted beneficiaries.
Objectives of the movement of Rashtriya Poshan Maah are also to re-energise the Swachh Bharat Jan Andolan; Further accelerate SBM progress in last lap; Reinforce the concept of ‘Sanitation is everyone’s Business’; Commence Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth year celebrations; Mobilising of 20 crore people during the September 15 to October two fortnightly through convergence.
In the context of the state of Nagaland, a state level Convergent Plan Committee including 14 line departments with Social welfare as Nodal Department was constituted, which has been working for the campaign even ahead of the time.
In the same manner Convergent Plan Committee headed by Deputy Commissioner as Nodal Officer, Block Convergent Plan committee with Administrative Officer as Nodal Officer and Village Convergent Committee with initiative and supervision of the VCC have to be simultaneously working at all levels to achieve the target of convergence in time.
Constitution of Committee at all levels have been done with directive from Ministry of Women & Child Development, GoI.
All the line departments have its own action plan for State level, District level and Sub Division level respectively and accordingly programmes are being implemented targeting the beneficiaries that is the grass root level, with a determination that they should be benefitted.
Some of the highlights of the programme and activities and target achieved fortnightly at the State level are:
Beginning from the month of August, meetings of convergence of departments and series of consultative meetings have been taking place making designs and strategies for smooth conduct of the campaign to take forward with the country wide mega programme. On 8th September the State has officially launched Rashtriya Poshan Maah that has been coincided with the launching of the State Brand Ambassador with Prof. Alongla P. Aier.
On 13th September an intensified awareness of Safe food as part of the Rashtrya Poshan Maah, Food safety Nagaland was out in the street educating and creating awareness among the street food vendors in regard to maintaining strict hygiene to ensure safe and nutritious food to the consumers. Not to use newspaper to wrap food items, covering finished food products, use of tongs, gloves, aprons, head gears etc while handling foods were also emphasised by a medical team in Kohima.
Food Safety on wheels (Mobile food laboratory)- Creating awareness, collecting food samples and checking food items for adulterants in different parts of Nagaland to ensure safe and nutritious food to its people as part of Poshan Abhiyan.
Testing of food samples and checking of banned chemicals for artificial ripening and preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables, ensuring safe and nutritious food are some of the activities carried out by Food Safety Nagaland Health & Family Welfare.
Media publicity were also highlighted in both print and electronic media. DD talk Show, Poshan seminar, short movie on nutrition, Radio talk show, poshan mela and jingles etc. are to be conducted throughout the month of September by Social Welfare, the Nodal Department and all the Allied Departments are also being conducted and performing various kind of activities basing on its action plan at state level, district level, block level and village level respectively to spread Poshan Maah message over the state.