The Poshan 2.0 has been a significant milestone in ensuring the better health and nutrition to the children and women in India.
What is POSHAN Abhiyaan?
POSHAN Abhiyaan – Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN).
It is India’s flagship National Nutrition Mission aimed at improving nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls.
Funding mechanism – It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
Initially, it involved a 50:50 sharing ratio between the Center and States.
Later modified to 60:40 for states, 90:10 for special category states, and 100% for UTs without legislatures, making it a centrally sponsored program.
Launched on – 8 March 2018.
Approach – It represents a paradigm shift from a welfare-oriented approach to a comprehensive, lifecycle-based strategy.
This approach recognises nutrition as a key driver of human capital development, economic growth, and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Key goals – The mission places special emphasis on the first 1,000 days—from conception to 2 years—as a critical window for ensuring optimal physical and cognitive development.
What is the background and policy framework?
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), 1975 – Provided a foundation for supplementary nutrition, health services, and early childhood care through Anganwadi Centres.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), 2017 – Introduced maternity benefits through direct cash transfers to support maternal health.
National Nutrition Strategy, 2017 (NITI Aayog) – Emphasised convergence, monitoring, and community engagement.
POSHAN Abhiyaan, 2018 – Brought multiple ministries together under a unified framework with measurable targets.
Mission Poshan 2.0 (2021–22) – Consolidated various schemes into a single integrated structure to improve efficiency and outcomes.
This framework reflects a shift towards convergence across sectors such as health, sanitation, education, and women’s empowerment.
What are the key features of POSHAN Abhiyaan?
Convergence Approach – Integrates efforts of over 26 ministries and departments.
Lifecycle and Preventive Strategy – Focus on maternal, infant, and adolescent nutrition.
Technology-Driven Monitoring – Use of Poshan Tracker for real-time data collection.
Jan Andolan (People’s Movement) – Community mobilisation through campaigns like Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada.
Targeted Interventions – Focus on reducing stunting, wasting, anaemia, and low birth weight.
Focus on First 1,000 Days – Critical period for child development.
What are the Key structural reforms in Poshan 2.0?
Poshan 2.0 – It is announced in the Union Budget 2021–22.
It aims to streamline and strengthen nutrition delivery by subsuming:
Anganwadi Services
Scheme for Adolescent Girls
POSHAN Abhiyaan
Unified Framework – Integration of multiple schemes for better coordination.
Improved Nutritional Norms – Shift from calorie-centric to balanced, diverse diets rich in micronutrients.
Focus on Quality and Outcomes – Emphasis on maternal nutrition, IYCF practices, and management of SAM/MAM.
Infrastructure Strengthening – Upgradation of Anganwadi Centres into Saksham Anganwadis.
Integration of AYUSH Practices – Promoting holistic wellness.
What are the major components of mission Poshan 2.0?
Nutrition Support – Supplementary nutrition for children (6 months–6 years), pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls as per NFSA, 2013.
Intergenerational Cycle of Malnutrition – Undernourished mother leds to low birth weight child leads to lifelong disadvantage.
What steps could be taken further?
Strengthen Last-Mile Delivery – Focus on capacity building of Anganwadi Workers and infrastructure gaps.
Enhance Behavioural Change Strategies – Deepen community engagement and awareness.
Leverage Technology Further – Improve digital access and data utilisation for policy decisions.
Focus on Quality of Nutrition – Ensure consistent supply of diverse and fortified foods.
Inter-sectoral Convergence – Strengthen coordination across health, education, and sanitation sectors.
Targeted Interventions – Focus on high-burden districts and vulnerable populations.
Monitoring and Evaluation – Continuous assessment for evidence-based policy refinement.
What lies ahead?
POSHAN Abhiyaan and its evolution into Mission Poshan 2.0 represent a comprehensive and integrated approach to tackling malnutrition in India.
By combining nutrition, health, education, technology, and community participation, the mission lays a strong foundation for building a healthy and productive population.
Sustained efforts in convergence, governance innovation, and behavioural change will be crucial in achieving the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.
Since it is a centrally sponsored scheme the success depends on the state capacity and, local governance.
There should be competitiveness and cooperative federalism among the states.
Nutrition is not just a health issue, but a multi-dimensional development issue.
It is linked with poverty, gender inequality, sanitation, and food systems.
