POSHAN Abhiyan: Nutrition Mission for Children
TOPIC CLASSIFICATION
Subject: Governance | Topic: Health & Nutrition Schemes Sub-topic: POSHAN Abhiyan, Saksham Anganwadi, Mission Poshan 2.0 Prelims Focus: Launch year, targets, implementing ministries, convergence with ICDS Mains Focus: Malnutrition in India — causes, government interventions, POSHAN Abhiyan outcomes, Poshan Tracker
EXAMINER REASONING
POSHAN Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission) was launched in 2018 to address India's high malnutrition burden. UPSC Prelims tests scheme objectives, targets, and reporting mechanisms. Mains questions analyse the effectiveness of nutrition interventions, causes of stunting/wasting, and the role of convergence between ministries.
Core Concept
POSHAN Abhiyan is India's flagship programme to reduce malnutrition among children (0–6 years), adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. It was launched in March 2018 and later subsumed under Mission POSHAN 2.0 (2021) as part of the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 umbrella.
Key Targets (by 2022 — revised to 2025)
| Indicator | Target |
|---|---|
| Stunting (low height-for-age) | Reduce by 2% per annum |
| Wasting (low weight-for-height) | Reduce by 2% per annum |
| Anaemia (women & children) | Reduce by 3% per annum |
| Low birth weight | Reduce by 2% per annum |
Implementation Architecture
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
- Convergence: MoHFW (health), MoE (mid-day meal), MoJS (clean water), MoRD (food security).
- ICDS backbone: 13.5 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) as delivery points.
- Poshan Tracker: ICT-based real-time monitoring of nutrition outcomes.
- Community participation: Jan Andolan (mass movement) for behavioural change.