New Delhi, Feb 29 (PTI) Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday launched a Cartoon Coalition to promote balanced nutrition, a key target under the POSHAN scheme, and released a ‘Poshan Utsav Book’ along with Microsoft’s Bill Gates.
According to the ministry, the move is expected to revolutionise nutrition awareness by engaging children through captivating storytelling through their favourite cartoon characters and other material and drive positive behavioural change in communities across the nation for desired nutritional outcomes.
Speaking at the event, Irani said it was under Prime Minister Narendra Modi that for the first time 18 ministries and departments came together to ensure nutrition.
“Nutrition as a national effort has been undertaken since the 1970s. However, when Prime Minister Modi took office, for the first time in the history of our country, not one, not two, but 18 ministries across the government of India were brought together under National flagship scheme called ‘Poshan’,” she said.
“For the first time, Prime Minister Modi was essentially of the opinion that nutrition cannot be the responsibility of one division, one desk, or one department and that is why when 18 ministries came together,” she said.
At present, around 1.2 million aanganwadi workers across the country have hand-held Poshan tracker devices, she said.
Gates, who is also the Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, appreciated the approach to communicate about health and nutrition.
“I really appreciate the creative way that the ministry is working to teach kids about food in a way that will connect with them…” he said.
“Indian manufacturing has played a key role in developing low cost high quality vaccines that have saved countless lives. Companies here are also working to lower the cost of new advances in probiotics, multiple micronutrient supplements, and a single infusion IV to treat anaemia, furthering the tools available to address nutritional challenges for women and children,” he said.
“I’m optimistic that will continue to see a lot of progress in nutrition in the years ahead, and that and that India will be at the forefront of that progress,” he added.
According to the WCD Ministry, Poshan Utsav aims to leverage popular cartoon characters to advocate holistic nutrition among children through collaboration between the Ministry and Amar Chitra Katha.
To promote cultural heritage and traditional nutritional practices, a ‘Poshan Utsav Book’ has been curated by the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) and supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The book is designed to serve as an atlas on food, offering insights from cultural, social, economic and scientific perspectives.
It seeks to revive ancient nutrition traditions, facilitating knowledge exchange and intergenerational learning.
The book will also serve as a comprehensive repository for appreciation of the rich culinary heritage and nutritional diversity of the country. PTI AO VN VN
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