The Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister, Punjab, Mrs. Aruna Chaudhary has congratulated 'Team Punjab' for the stupendous success in bagging awards in 4 categories at the POSHAN MAAH awards ceremony held in New Delhi today. The minister said that the awards are a proof of the exemplary contribution made by the Punjab Government in tackling the issue of malnutrition with considerable success.Detailing more information, the Director, Social Security, Women and Child Development Department, Punjab, Mrs. Kavita Singh, who was also present during the awards ceremony, said that to recognize the efforts being put in at all levels made by Punjab State, Ms. Apneet Riyait, Deputy Commissioner, Mansa was conferred District Level Leadership Award, Ms. Ravinder Pal Kaur, Child Development Project Officer, Sudhar, District Ludhiana was conferred Block Level Leadership Award, Ms. Dalbir Kaur, Supervisor, District Faridkot was conferred Field functionary Award (Individual Excellence Award) and Ms. Bharpur Kaur, Anganwadi Worker, District Ferozepur was conferred Field functionary Award (Individual Excellence Award) award. The Director further said that the awards were presented by Dr. Rajeev Kumar, Vice-Chairperson, NITI Aayog.Mrs. Kavita Singh credited the Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Mrs. Aruna Chaudhary for this crowning glory for Punjab and said that the leadership provided by the minister and the guidance of the Principal Secretary, Social Security and Women & Child Development Department, Punjab, Mrs. Raji P. Srivastava led to Punjab achieving this milestone.
Giving further details, the Director said that Poshan Abhiyan is being implemented by the Punjab Government in order to address the issue of Malnutrition. The Abhiyaan targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2 percent, 2percent, 3 percent and 2 percent per annum respectively. The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4 percent to 25 percent by 2022. The Seven districts of Punjab Namely Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Mansa, Faridkot ,Tarantaran ,Moga and Sri Muktsar Sahib are covered under Poshan Abhiyaan. To achieve these targets, the abhiyaan aims to inculcate the habit of “Eat Right Eat Safe”. The month of September was celebrated as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah in the entire State. In this context a one-day State Level Orientation Workshop was also organised at Punjab State Health System Corporation Phase 7 Mohali.
Elaborating more, Mrs. Kavita Singh said that to make POSHAN ABHIYAAN a Jan Andolan, frontline workers, community groups, Staff at Block and District level, State departments are undertaking exemplary efforts. Though POSHAN ABHIYAAN is being implemented in seven districts but the POSHAN MAAH activities were carried in all the 22 districts of Punjab State. The activities like Nutritional rallies, Suposhan Godh Bharayi, Vazan Tyohar (growth monitoring), awareness about breastfeeding, food fortification and micrnutrients, diarrhoea, Hygiene, water and sanitaion, anaemia, etc. were carried out with the close convergence of the Health, Rural and Panchayati Raj, Water and Sanitation, Sports and Youth Affairs departments at Anganwadi Centres at Village, Block, District and State level. During POSHAN MAAH in Vazan Tyohar (Growth Monitoring) all children enrolled in the Anganwadi Centres were weighed. As per Jan Andolan Poshan Dash Board, about 5 lakh people were involved in the various activities of POSHAN like Nutrition, Health, Water and Sanitation, Hygiene, etc.Other important dignitaries who were present in the Award ceremony were Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Member NITI Aayog, Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Secretary Ministry of Women and Child Development, Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development.