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There is a need to make timely interventions across all generations to improve nutrition among women and children, said Minister of State for Women & Child Development Dr. Munjpara Mahndrabhai while chairing the zonal conference of Eastern region involving five states in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Dr Mahndrabhai said that there is a need to build the human and social capital based on the pillars of good nutrition, gender equality, proper education and ensure the rights of security of women and children.
He said the government is constantly engaging itself on how to ensure the welfare of women and children who constitute 69 % of the country’s population.
“Poshan 2.0 aims to promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health, wellbeing and immunity. Our aim is to bring behavioral changes through local participation and accountability. During the last five years we have distributed 11.94 lakh growth monitoring devices, 11.3 lakh smart phones to the Anganwadi workers and have rolled out the Poshan trackers to improve governance and to identify and ensure treatment of malnourished children," said Dr Mahndrabhai.
To address the nutritional needs of women and children, the Union government has implemented three missions – Mission Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti for women safety, security and empowerment and Mission Vatsalya for the welfare of children respectively.
“Mission Vatsalya is aimed at supporting children in need of care by strengthening the existing statutory structure and delivery of emergency outreach services while Mission Shakti seeks to realize the government’s commitment on women-led development," he added.
During the event, the union minister stressed building a healthy society as all stressed that now that all the COVID related restrictions have been lifted. “We are gathered here in this zonal conference to sensitize the States are implementing authorities the schemes in the upcoming financial years," the minister said.