The two week-long Poshan Pakhwada celebration under the theme ‘Integration of traditional and modern practices for healthy India’ concluded today at Byndihati, Dong Umsngad in East Jaiñtia Hills district.
The closing programme was organized by the Office of the District Programme Officer, ICDS (CELL) which was attended by Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla.
The minister stressed on the importance of a healthy diet for a child’s growth and said the ICDS and the Anganwadi workers have a key role in ensuring that children consume nutritious food that contains essential nutrients for proper growth and development.
He also spoke on Early Childhood Development Mission (ECDM), a pilot project implemented by the department which aims at providing better nourishment, health care, education for their overall growth and development of children.
Extra Assistant Commission, F. Wann spoke on the fortified blended food provided by the ICDS and Anganwadi centres. She said that consumption of fortified food is very important as it contains key vitamins and nutrients which support growth and development during childhood.
R. Bareh, CDPO, ICDS Saipung Project informed that the two weeks long programme focused on measurement of height and weight of children under six years in Anganwadi centres, generating awareness in women on the importance of water conservation, water management, promoting rain water harvesting and, prevent and treatment of anemia, encouraging traditional food for securing healthy mother and child and behavioral change etc.
The Anganwadi Centre at the village was also inaugurated on the occasion. The other highlights of the programme include demonstration of SNP recipes by the Anganwadi workers of Sohkymphor village, songs and dances.
