POSHAN Abhiyaan is the flagship program to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers in India. It is also called the National Nutrition Mission.

The program was launched on International Women’s Day on 8 March 2018 at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. The POSHAN Abhiyaan spreads awareness towards the problems pertaining to malnutrition and brings viable solutions to it.

Beneficiaries of the POSHAN Abhiyan

The scheme is directed towards women and children who undergo problems due to malnutrition. It pays a particular emphasis on pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Background of POSHAN Abhiyaan

NITI Aayog has shaped the POSHAN Abhiyaan. NITI Aayog released the National Nutrition Strategy in September 2017. The Strategy was extremely instrumental in presenting a micro-analysis of the problems pertaining to nutrition in the country.

The POSHAN Abhiyan offers a wide range of solutions to those problems. It also seeks to evaluate and monitor the progress of the program from time to time. This will be done through implementation reports POSHAN Abhiyan aims to reduce the problem of malnutrition significantly by the year 2021.

The four-pillar strategy that the program has been built upon is as follows:

• Inter-sectoral convergence for better service delivery
• Use of technology for real-time growth monitoring and tracking
• Intensified health and nutrition services for the first 1000 days
• Jan Andolan (People’s movement)

Objectives of The POSHAN Abhiyan

The chief objective of the POSHAN Abhiyan is

• Reducing the level of under-nutrition
• Enhancing the nutritional status of children in the country
• Improving the nutritional outcomes of adolescents, children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers

Salient Features of The POSHAN Abhiyan

• The program was launched on International Women’s Day on 8 March 2018 at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.
• The POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan spreads awareness towards the problems pertaining to malnutrition and brings viable solutions with it.
• Implementation status reports of the Abhiyaan are submitted by NITI Aayog every six months. The implementation of POSHAN Abhiyaan is carried out through the Technical Support Unit (TSU) established at NITI Aayog, which will also provide research, policy, and technical support for the program.
• As the mission is expected to eradicate malnutrition by 2022, it has been taken up by multiple ministries. This helps in expanding the outreach of the mission and thereby facilitating its implementation.
• The execution of the mission is sufficed through technology as well as convergence among various modules and departments.
• The term ‘Poshan’ stands for ‘Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition’.
• Some specific targets of the program are reducing stunting, anemia, under-nutrition, and low birth weight.
• It aims to achieve a 25% reduction in stunting by 2020, as opposed to 38% currently.
• It also involves mapping various other schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, National Health Mission, and so on. The program enables synergies among these schemes through an ICT-based real-time monitoring system, robust convergence among the various related schemes, incentivizing states and UTs for meeting the set targets, and optimizing Anganwadi centers’ functioning, apart from conducting social audits.

POSHAN Maah

• Rashtriya POSHAN Maah is celebrated in September. The activities in POSHAN Maah were focused on Social as well as Behavioural Change and Communication. It helped to build awareness through assertive dialogue and thereby educated a lot of people in the way of communication around this topic.

• The POSHAN Maah was widely based around antenatal care, optimal breastfeeding, anaemia, growth monitoring, girls’ - education, diet, hygiene and sanitation, eating healthy, and other such themes.

• Over 120 million women, 60 million men, and 130 million children were reached out to through the implementation of the POSHAN Maah. Collectively, POSHAN Maah was successful in reaching more than 30 Crore people in just 30 days.

Specific Targets of The POSHAN Abhiyan

The POSHAN Abhiyan aims to target the following specifically:

• Reduce stunting by 2% annually.
• Reduce under-nutrition by 2% annually.
• Reduce anemia by 3% annually.
• Reduce low birth weight by 2% annually.

FAQs

MCQs

1. What is the main objective of the Poshan Abhiyaan?

A) To promote digital literacy
B) To improve the nutritional status of children and women
C) To improve literacy rates
D) To enhance agricultural productivity

2. Which of the following is NOT a component of Poshan Abhiyaan?

A) Awareness and Advocacy
B) Capacity Building
C) Increasing agricultural exports
D) Behavioral Change Communication

3. How does Poshan Abhiyaan aim to reduce malnutrition in India?

A) By focusing only on increasing food production
B) By increasing agricultural exports
C) Through nutritional support and behavioral change
D) By promoting fast food consumption

4. Which of the following groups is NOT a primary focus of Poshan Abhiyaan?

A) Pregnant women
B) Lactating mothers
C) Senior citizens
D) Children under the age of 6

5. What is a key challenge in implementing Poshan Abhiyaan?

A) Lack of government support
B) Inadequate funding
C) Difficulty in monitoring and reaching remote areas
D) Overwhelming focus on urban areas

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the objectives and strategies of the Poshan Abhiyaan in addressing malnutrition in India.

Answer: The Poshan Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) aims to reduce malnutrition by targeting the nutrition of children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, with an emphasis on reducing stunting, undernutrition, and anemia. The mission employs a multi-pronged strategy that includes increasing awareness about healthy diets, improving maternal and child health practices, and enhancing the delivery of nutrition services through integrated schemes. Behavioral change communication is used to promote good health practices, such as breastfeeding and complementary feeding. The mission also focuses on the convergence of existing government schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to maximize impact. The mission's approach is based on community-based monitoring, localized interventions, and strengthening health systems to create sustainable improvements in nutrition outcomes across India.

Q2: Evaluate the impact of Poshan Abhiyaan on improving public health in rural and marginalized communities.

Answer: Poshan Abhiyaan has made significant strides in improving public health in rural and marginalized communities by focusing on nutrition-related issues, such as stunting, underweight, and micronutrient deficiencies. The mission's targeted approach to reaching vulnerable populations through community-based initiatives, including nutrition awareness campaigns and enhanced maternal health services, has contributed to reducing malnutrition. Moreover, the integration of nutrition services with other government programs, such as sanitation and women’s empowerment initiatives, has created a more holistic approach to health. Despite these achievements, challenges such as limited outreach in remote areas and the need for better community engagement remain. The mission continues to evolve to address these barriers and improve nutritional outcomes in underserved regions.

Q3: How does the Poshan Abhiyaan contribute to India’s broader goals of sustainable development and poverty reduction?

Answer: The Poshan Abhiyaan is integral to India's broader sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly in reducing hunger, improving health, and achieving gender equality. By addressing malnutrition, the mission contributes directly to improving the health and well-being of the population, which is a key factor in poverty reduction. Nutritionally secure populations are more productive, and healthier children perform better in education, breaking the cycle of poverty. The focus on women’s nutrition, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding, is crucial for enhancing maternal health and reducing infant mortality. Furthermore, the convergence of Poshan Abhiyaan with other programs that focus on sanitation, education, and women’s empowerment supports the creation of a more sustainable and equitable development model for India.

Previous Year Questions on Poshan Abhiyaan

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020:

Question: Which of the following is the primary objective of Poshan Abhiyaan?

A) Promoting digital literacy
B) Ensuring nutritional security for children and women
C) Increasing agricultural exports
D) Providing free healthcare for all

Answer: (B)

Explanation: Poshan Abhiyaan focuses on ensuring nutritional security for children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers to improve health outcomes and reduce malnutrition.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 2):

Question: "Analyze the objectives and implementation challenges of the Poshan Abhiyaan in India."

Answer: Poshan Abhiyaan aims to reduce malnutrition by focusing on the nutritional needs of children, women, and vulnerable populations. It seeks to achieve significant reductions in stunting, undernutrition, and anemia by promoting better dietary practices, improving maternal health, and integrating nutrition services with other government schemes. The implementation challenges include ensuring equitable access to nutrition services in remote areas, overcoming cultural barriers to healthy eating, and ensuring community participation. The mission requires continued efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, mobilize resources, and engage local communities to achieve its ambitious goals.