New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Use of digital tools such as the Poshan Tracker Application now enables near real‑time monitoring of over 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres and nearly 9 crore beneficiaries under the mission, the government said on Tuesday.

As POSHAN Abhiyaan completes eight years, its Jan Andolan approach has mobilised communities nationwide, with initiatives such as Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada generating over 150 crore activities, an official statement said.

“The mission reflects the growing emphasis on convergence, technology-enabled governance and community participation in addressing nutrition challenges,” it said.

The programme’s evolution showed that coordinated action across sectors and strengthened service delivery platforms are crucial, along with sustained behavioural change efforts in improving nutrition outcomes.

The transition to Mission Poshan 2.0 underscored a continued focus on improving service quality, expanding early childhood care and strengthening last-mile delivery systems.

By integrating nutrition with health, early childhood care, education and community engagement, the mission adopts a comprehensive approach to supporting vulnerable populations, the government said.

POSHAN Abhiyaan launched in 2018 marked a shift in India’s approach from treating nutrition primarily as a welfare concern, to recognising it as a national priority linked to human capital development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and long-term growth.

It brought together over 26 ministries and departments under a unified nutrition framework, recognising the importance of simultaneous action on sanitation, education, water, women’s empowerment, and income.

Crucially, POSHAN Abhiyaan was designed around a lifecycle and preventive approach — rather than solely addressing acute malnutrition after it occurs, the statement noted.

It focused on the first 1,000 days of an infant from conception to two years of age- critical for physical growth, brain development and long-term health outcomes.

Further, Poshan Vatikas or Nutri-gardens are being set up at Anganwadi Centres, government schools and Gram Panchayat lands to promote diet diversity and the consumption of locally available nutritious food. These gardens provide easy and affordable access to fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants.

—IANS

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