DOIMUKH, 30 Sep: The month-long observance of the Rashtriya Poshan Maah in Papum Pare district culminated with a ‘poshan mela’ held at the Monday Market area here on Friday.
Fifty-one SHGs put up ‘poshan’ stalls, showcasing organic local vegetables, food items, fruits, etc, during the mela, which was organised by the Doimukh ICDS cell, in collaboration with the ArSRLM and the panchayat members of Doimukh and Gumto circles.
Doimukh EAC Tana Yaho, who inaugurated the mela, said that the Poshan Abhiyan “is a very important scheme for upgrading nutritional status of children below six years, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating mothers.”
Highlighting the status of women’s health in the district and lauding the contribution of the anganwadi workers “in uplifting the health quotient in rural areas,” she said that “the quantum of malnourished women and children are from the rural areas and therefore it becomes prerogative to concentrate awareness activities in the grassroots level.”
“But certain reforms, like recruiting educated women as anganwadi workers, since they will be in a better position to read and understand nutritional topics and guidelines, have to be politically supported and implemented by all concerned,” she added.
Doimukh CDPO Maya Murtem presented a brief on the activities carried out during the month-long event.
“The mela provides a platform for all the womenfolk to interact and share their knowledge about organic products and local culinary practices,” she said.
Women from as far as Bogoli and Denka also participated in the poshan mela.
In East Siang HQ Pasighat, the NSS unit of JN College organised a talk related to the Poshan Maah.
Organising secretary Dr K Kadu highlighted the importance of observing Poshan Maah, while the NEIAFMR’s Ayurveda & Panchkarma MO Dr Imlikumba spoke on ‘Kitchen pharmacy and nutrition’.
Over 100 NSS volunteers participated in the programme. (With DIPRO input)
