8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2025 Concludes in Dehradun

The 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah concluded in Dehradun in 2025. This month-long campaign focused on nutrition awareness, community involvement, and behavioural change. It is part of the broader Poshan Abhiyaan launched in 2018 to tackle malnutrition and empower women and children across India.

Significance of Rashtriya Poshan Maah

Rashtriya Poshan Maah is a national movement to improve nutrition. It emphasises the first 1,000 days of a child’s life as critical for growth. The campaign promotes balanced diets and healthy mothers as foundations for strong families and a robust nation. It also encourages men and youth participation, making nutrition a community effort.

Role of Poshan Abhiyaan

Poshan Abhiyaan integrates multiple ministries and citizens to fight malnutrition. It aims to create an ‘Empowered Women, Nourished India’. The programme uses digital tools like the Poshan Tracker App for real-time monitoring and transparency. This has improved service delivery through over 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres, reaching more than 10 crore beneficiaries.

Achievements and Progress

NFHS-5 data shows a decline in malnutrition – stunting fell from 38.4% to 35.5%, and underweight children from 35.8% to 32.1%. Over 13 lakh Anganwadi workers use smartphones linked to the Poshan Tracker. Many centres now have growth monitoring devices. Around 2 lakh centres are upgraded as ‘Saksham Anganwadi Centres’ with better facilities and digital tools.

Community and Government Participation

States and Union Territories actively participate in Poshan Maah. Uttarakhand reported anemia reduction. The campaign promotes local nutrition sources like millets, which support both health and agriculture. The event honoured Anganwadi workers and Poshan Champions for their dedication.

Key Themes of Poshan Maah 2025

The campaign focused on six themes – Mindful Eating, Early Childhood Care and Education, Nutrition Behaviour for Infants and Young Children, Men’s Participation, Vocal for Local products, and Convergence & Digitalisation. These themes aim to build a strong foundation for a Suposhit Bharat (Well-Nourished India) by 2047.

Use of Technology and Digital Governance

Digital governance tools like the Poshan Tracker App have revolutionised nutrition services. They ensure accurate data collection and timely intervention. This transparency builds trust and accountability among beneficiaries and workers alike.