ITANAGAR, Sep 9: Women & Child Development (WCD) Minister Alo Libang said the central as well as the state government are committed to eradicating malnutrition from the country to make every child healthy to build a healthy nation.
Inaugurating a poshan mela (nutrition fair) at the DK convention centre here on Monday as part of the Rashtriya Poshan Maah being celebrated across the country from 1 September, Libang appealed to all to contribute to achieve the basic objective of the mission. He requested the secretaries of all the line departments to coordinate in implementing the Poshan Abhiyan in the state.
The minister assured to extend support in organising more such programmes to create awareness on the schemes implemented by the WCD department.
He visited the ‘poshan stalls’ set up by various departments, such as the WCD, agriculture, education, PHE&WS, animal husbandry & dairy development, and health & family welfare, besides the State Rural Livelihood Mission and the State Urban Livelihood Mission. The stalls displayed natural food items and information about their nutritional values.
An awareness meeting was also organized. It was attended by secretaries, directors of line departments, the ICDS deputy director, the CDPOs of Papum Pare district, field functionaries, anganwadi workers and helpers, pregnant and lactating mothers, and members of SHGs.
WCD Secretary Niharika Rai spoke on the objectives of the Poshan Abhiyan and the importance of celebrating the Rashtriya Poshan Maah.
“This is a very important scheme for upgrading the nutritional status of children below six years, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating mothers,” she said.
A short film titled Thank You Anganwadi Didi, launched by union minister Smriti Irani, showing the role of anganwadi workers in upgrading nutrition and maintaining the health and hygiene of children below six years, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating mothers, was screened.
Another short film, this one on the importance of exclusive breast feeding up to six months and complementary feeding, was also screened.
Poshan Abhiyan state nodal officer DK Thungon made a PowerPoint presentation on the campaign, its objectives, and the roles and responsibilities of the line departments in implementation of the scheme from the state level to the grassroots level.
Students of Oju Welfare Association presented a patriotic song, and the minister distributed ‘poshan hampers’ containing ‘take home rations’ to lactating mothers.
