Under Mission SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0, time-tested traditional wisdom in community nutritional practices is sought to be leveraged: Ministry of Women and Child Development

Supplementary nutrition is provided to beneficiaries through the network of 13.97 lakh AWC located across the country by providing morning snacks, Hot Cooked Meals and Take Home Ration (not raw ration). The primary focus of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme is to bridge the gap between recommended dietary allowance and the average daily intake. State governments have been advised by the Ministry of Women and Child Dvelopment to promote diet diversity, agro-climatic regional meal plans and adopt AYUSH practices in the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP).

Government has approved “SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0”- An Integrated Nutrition Support Programme scheme of MWCD, during the 15th Finance Commission period 2021-22 to 2025-26. The “Common Core” of SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0 centre on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding Norms, Treatment Protocols for SAM/MAM and Wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce wasting and under-weight prevalence besides stunting and anemia.

Under Mission SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0, time-tested traditional wisdom in community nutritional practices is sought to be leveraged through Ayush formulations and simple Ayurveda interventions to improve digestive capacity, absorption of nutrients, address anemia and aid in management of malnutrition for the holistic nourishment of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

As per the guidelines of Mission SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0, convergence with Ministry of Ayush is envisaged as follows:

  • Populate PoshanVatikas with medicinal plant and saplings, technical assistance, etc.
  • Recommend local recipes integrating locally grown vegetables & food substances, red rice, various millets etc. Ghee or locally produced oils in Take Home Ration (not raw ration) recipes and cow’s milk
  • Recommend various AYUSH practices/products that have been successfully used for reducing wasting, anemia, and low birth weight and bolster immunity. In some districts of the country, anAyush component has been included in Take-Home Ration for Pregnant Women, Lactating Mother and Children.

Ministry has also endorsed and circulated to all States/ UTs, general dietary advisory, advisory for pregnant women, lactating mothers, children, specific recommendations for anemia in pregnancy and malnourished children, developed by Ministry of Ayush.

As per the SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0 Scheme guidelines and Streamlined Guidelines issued on 13th January 2021, the District Nutrition Committee chaired by the District Magistrate includes the District –in charge Ayush Officer as a member, with responsibilities as follows:

  • Focus on prevention of diseases and promote wellness through Yoga at AWCs and households.
  • Identify medicinal plants and herbs, fruit trees for cultivation in PoshanVatikas

The Guidelines have emphasized on scaling-up of successful projects to manage anemia, e.g., pilot on ‘Drakshavaleha’ and promote use of AYUSH diet under Poshan 2.0 in co-ordination with Anganwadi Centres and Schools.

 

Government is encouraging setting up of PoshanVatikas (Nutri-Gardens) at or near Anganwadicenters (AWC), state-owned schools wherever possible, and on Gram Panchayat lands where women and children are most likely to benefit. This will help to provide food security and diet diversity to address malnutrition at the community level; address micro nutrient deficiency-related malnutrition and supplement staple-based diets/rations to meet requirements of essential nutrients with a significant amount of macro and micro nutrients.

Ayush practices focusing on prevention of diseases and promotion of wellness through Yoga, cultivation of medicinal herbs in PoshanVatikas, and use of AYUSH formulations to treat underlying disorders has been considered under SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0 for the holistic nourishment of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Total 41106 PoshanVatikas has been developed in Uttar Pradesh (Annexure-I).

 

This information was given by the MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

 

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SS/AKS

 

Annexure I

Number of Anganwadi Centres equipped with PoshanVatika in Uttar Pradesh

 

Sr. No District Name (Number of Anganwadi Centres equipped with PoshanVatika)
  Agra 710
Aligarh 690
Ambedkar Nagar 510
Amethi 389
Amroha 286
Auraiya 358
Ayodhya 476
Azamgarh 1518
Baghpat 469
Bahraich 708
Ballia 694
Balrampur 376
Banda 441
Barabanki 611
Bareilly 571
Basti 531
Bhadohi 298
Bijnor 636
Budaun 588
Bulandshahr 793
Chandauli 375
Chitrakoot 292
Deoria 649
Etah 373
Etawah 313
Farrukhabad 356
Fatehpur 689
Firozabad 608
Gautam Buddha Nagar 222
Ghaziabad 275
Ghazipur 825
Gonda 619
Gorakhpur 834
Hamirpur 356
Hapur 277
Hardoi 786
Hathras 342
Jalaun 383
Jaunpur 1218
Jhansi 376
Kannauj 323
Kanpur Dehat 358
Kanpur Nagar 527
Kasganj 589
Kaushambi 355
Kheri 811
Kushi Nagar 827
Lalitpur 225
Lucknow 546
Maharajganj 627
Mahoba 176
Mainpuri 358
Mathura 473
Mau 617
Meerut 515
Mirzapur 534
Moradabad 548
Muzaffarnagar 455
Pilibhit 392
Pratapgarh 650
Prayagraj 900
Rae Bareli 667
Rampur 640
Saharanpur 682
Sambhal 516
SantKabeer Nagar 543
Shahjahanpur 583
Shamli 281
Shravasti 285
Siddharth Nagar 728
Sitapur 846
Sonbhadra 536
Sultanpur 602
Unnao 680
Varanasi 890
Total 41106

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