ITANAGAR, 31 Mar: The Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) celebrated the Poshan Pakhwada from 16 to 31 March all across the state with the rest of the country under the Poshan Abhiyaan.
Various activities were conducted during the fortnight programme, such as community-based events, home visits, Poshan workshop/ seminar, nutritious recipe & cooking contest, kitchen garden, stories/ drawing competition, mothers group meeting, Poshan Mela, local leader meeting, cooperative/federation, Poshan rally & walk, webinar, youth group meeting, haat bazaar activities, cycle rally, DAY-NRLM SHG Meet, street play/folk shows and prabhat pheri.
A total of 1, 19, 134 people from all across Arunachal Pradesh participated in the programmes as per the data uploaded on to the dashboard meant for recording activities.
To conclude the two-week celebration, a valedictory function was organized by the WCD department at Longding on Wednesday to felicitate and distribute commendation certificates to the field functionaries and Anganwadi workers who worked tirelessly and sincerely during Poshan Pakhwada-2021.
During the closing programme, a plantation of fruit-bearing trees was held at Luaksim-I Anganwadi Centre, Kanubari, Longding district as a part of food forestry.
WCD Director TP Loyi stressed on the importance of grass-root level participation for proper nutrition of women and children. She lauded the food forestry and Poshan Vatika (Nutri garden) promoted during the Poshan Pakhwada as key innovations.
She also motivated the Anganwadi workers to work diligently on various programmes under the Poshan Abhiyaan as she reiterated the importance of elected Panchayat Leaders as influencers for these social goals.
Longding Deputy Commissioner Bani Lego spoke on the importance of nutrition and appreciated the WCD department for spreading awareness about nutrition. He also appealed to the men to help the family in this cause.
EAC cum District Panchayat Development Officer (DPDO) Dakli Gara promised to make nutrition a discussion point in the gram panchayats.
The programme also saw the distribution of LPG cylinder and stoves to save the Anganwadi workers and helpers from harmful exposure to Chula smoke and to maintain hygiene at the Anganwadi centers.
Poshan Abhiyaan State Nodal Officer Dorjee K Thungon informed that the main focus of the Poshan Pakhwada 2021 was addressing nutritional challenges through innovations like food forestry and organizing a Poshan Panchayat, involving members of PRIs to generate awareness on topics like malnutrition prevalence, Poshan Vatika, identification of SAM/ MAM children and its management.
Longding ZPM Jehai Wangsu requested field functionaries of the department to render their services to the public diligently.
The nutrition fortnight was also celebrated in ICDS projects-Mechuka and Monigong.
Various activities, such as nutrition awareness campaign for mothers and children, identification of children with acute malnutrition, nutrition walks and open air yoga sessions were organized during the fortnight. (With DIPRO inputs)
