What is Poshan Pakhwada?

About Poshan Pakhwada:

• The Poshan Pakhwada aims to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan and Jan Bhagidari.
• The theme of this year’s Poshan Pakhwada 2023 is “Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy India”.
• With the declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets, this year the focus of Poshan Pakhwada will be to popularise ‘Shree Anna’- the mother of all grains, as a valuable asset to address malnutrition.
• The activities during the Poshan Pakhwada will focus, inter alia, on the following key themes:
  • Promotion and popularization of Shree Anna / Millets for nutritional– well-being through the organization of drives to link Millet-based foods with supplementary nutrition, Home visits, Diet consultation camps, etc
  • Celebration of Swasth Balak Spardha: Celebrate and recognize the ‘Swasth Balak’ or Healthy Child as per defined criteria by generating a healthy spirit of competition for good nutrition good health and well being
  • Popularize Saksham Anganwadis: Campaigns will be organized to increase awareness and popularise Saksham Anganwadis with upgraded infrastructure and facilities as centres of improved nutrition delivery and early childhood care and education. 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development

What is Poshan Abhiyaan?

• Poshan Abhiyaan, launched by the Prime Minister of India on 8th March 2018, has been instrumental in ensuring people’s participation and bringing the discourse on nutrition to the forefront.
• Poshan Abhiyan was launched to improve nutritional outcomes holistically.
• Behavioural change at the individual and community levels is an important component to achieve the desired goals of a Kuposhan-mukt Bharat.

Q1) What are Millets?

Millets are cereal crops and small seed grasses, which are widely used in African and Asian countries. Since ages, these small crops were used for human consumption as well as a fodder for animals. Majorly cultivated in the semiarid tropical regions of Africa and Asia

Source: 5th Poshan Pakhwada celebrations  begin tomorrow