ANGANWARI CENTRES TO OBSERVE NUTRITIOUS BABY SHOWER CEREMONY ON APRIL 14

LUDHIANA, APRIL 9, 2018: The Department of Social Security, Women, and Child Development would celebrate Poshan Diwas (Nutrition Day) on April 14 in all 27314 Anganwari centers of the state under Poshan Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission) to boost nutrition among women and children.

The Ludhiana has 2487 Anganwari centers in its 16 blocks that include four urban and 12 rural.

Each Anganwari center would observe 'Nutritious Baby Shower ceremony' by gifting nutritious fruits, vegetables, and healthy products to the pregnant women. The officials and staff would also educate about the importance of nutritious diet to them. The workers would monitor the weight of each child in the age group of 0-6 years.

Addressing a state level workshop under Poshan Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission) at Braille Bhawan, Jamalpur on Monday, Mrs. Ajit Kaur Multani, Deputy Director Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)-cum-Nodal Officer Poshan Abhiyan, said that the department has decided to initiate a massive movement to eradicate the problems of undernutrition and low birth weight and stunting on April 14.

She said that whole staff including Anganwari-Asha workers, ANMs, school teachers, self-help groups, the members of Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committee and NGOs would participate in the movement.

She said that the department has already started holding the meetings with the panchayats to publicize about Poshan Abhiyan and its activities on Poshan Diwas (April 14).

The Anganwari workers would educate the women about care during pregnancy and post pregnancy period, the importance of breastfeeding, Proper Immunization, and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojna (PMMVY), a maternity benefit scheme, she said and added that they would also celebrate 'Nutritious Baby Shower ceremony' by gifting nutritious fruits/vegetables and healthy products to the pregnant women.

Elaborating about Poshan Diwas, she said that the weight of the children (0-6) would be monitored by the workers and later, they would inform the parents about weight and significance of nutritious diet. They would also make them aware of harmful effects of junk foods.

The entire staff of the department would also take an oath to fight against Undernutrition, Anemia, and stunting, she claimed.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (D) Shena Agrawal also addressed the gathering and motivated all Child Development and Program Officers, Supervisors, Anganwari Workers to make the drive a major success.

District Program Officer (DPO) Rupinder Kaur said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched this program on International Women’s Day this year and it is being currently running in four districts Sri Muktsar Sahib, Ludhiana, Faridkot, and Mansa in Punjab.

Earlier, deputy director Ajit Kaur Multani and ADC Shena Agrawal were welcomed by DPO and her team.