RAJOURI: In order to spread awareness of Pooshan Maah, the Field Outreach Bureau, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, Rajouri in collaboration with ICDS and Health department, organised a Webinar followed by Virtual Field tours of Nutri gardens of various ICDS centres of Rajouri district today.
The webinar was organised under the supervision of Neha Jalali, (IIS), Deputy Director, Press Information Bureau, Jammu and Regional Outreach Bureau, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, J&K and Ladakh UTs.
To ensure maximum awareness generation, the Child Development Project Officers, Supervisors, Anganwadi workers ASHAs from various blocks of Rajouri district were involved. Some Officers and Officials from Kargil district of Ladakh UT also participated in the webinar
The webinar was organised to mark the importance of Pooshan Maah being celebrated to encourage public participation for addressing malnutrition amongst the children, and women and to ensure health and nutrition for everyone.
Atul Kumar Gupta, Deputy Director, ICDS Jammu While interacting with participants, highlighted the importance and objectives of Pooshan Abhiyaan. He said that the Pooshan Maah celebrations aim at encouraging Jan Bhagidaari, in order to create a Jan Andolan, for addressing malnutrition amongst people with special focus on young children, and women and to ensure health and nutrition for everyone.
He said that Identification of Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) Children and their management and plantation of Poshan Vaatikas- Nutri gardens are being undertaken as focus activities during Poshan Maah, along with awareness generation regarding importance of early breast feeding, need for good nutrition during first 1000 days of life, measures for reducing Anaemia in young women and children etc.
Kartar Singh, District Programme Officer, ICDS, Rajouri, in his address, emphasised the importance of balanced diet for fighting Malnutrition. He said that people’s participation was of prime importance for success of Pooshan Abhiyaan. He said that the monitoring mechanism under Pooshan Abhiyaan would help in outcome-based results and improved performance. He also emphasized the need for hygiene and proper sanitization. He said that behavioral change and awareness generation were of critical importance for improving overall health indicators under Pooshan Abhiyaan.
While commending the work done by the filed functionaries, he said that the Anganwadi workers had been working like soldiers despite the Covid-19 Pandemic depicting their commitment and dedication.
Khursheed Yousuf, Field Publicity officer, Udhampur, while presenting welcome address highlighted the importance of observance of Pooshan Maah and expressed his gratitude to all Officers, dignitaries and participants for extending their support and coordination in organizing the Webinar
Dr. Mehmood Bajar, Block Medical Officer, Manjakote gave details about implementation of Poshan Maah. He also presented a comparative analysis of Malnutrition indications of State level with that of Rajouri district and remarked that despite good performance by the district, more effort are required for making the district malnutrition free. He made a distinction between ‘providing food’ and ‘providing a balanced diet’ and said that it was the latter for which awareness initiatives were required.
Farooq Mir, Community Health Officer, Rajouri held a detailed and comprehensive awareness on Antenatal Check ups and Breast Feeding. He also delivered key note addresses on various aspects of Pooshan Abhiyan like Implementation, Monitoring, awareness, Health care, Hygiene, Nutrition etc.
Virtual tours of Nutri gardens as part of Pooshan Maah from Sunderbani, Kalakote and other blocks of the district were also a part of the Webinar.
Besides Officers, Naseer Ahmed CDPO, Rajouri, Sharda Kumari, CDPO Kalakote Najma Nazia, CDPO, Manjakote actively participated in the Webinar.
Muddasir Amin, (IIS), Media & Communication Officer, PIB, Jammu presented the vote of thanks.
The Webinar was moderated by Gurnam, Singh, Incharge Field Outreach Bureau, Rajouri.

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