TURA: A District Level Meeting on POSHAN Abhiyan was held at DRDA Conference Hall yesterday where West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh chaired the meeting. The meeting was necessitated in view of the video conference held earlier with the Chief Minister of Meghalaya and Deputy Commissioners and officers from the Department of Social Welfare and line departments of all districts.
During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner informed that as per the survey report Meghalaya is among one of the State along with Bihar and Jharkhand to be in the bottom line with regard to malnourished children. Since the month of September is observed as Nutrition month and aimed at reaching every household with the message of Nutrition which is done primarily by ICDS, he insisted on the need for convergence activities in order to focus on nutrition in all the programs organised in the district in addition to various activities being held at the district level, blocks and villages at Anganwadi Centres. Singh also informed that he would direct the medical department to issue iron folic tablets to all schools both government and private in Tura urban and other blocks in the district.
While presenting the Nutritional Status of West Garo Hills, Dr I M Sangma informed the detailed report of the status in the district wherein the percentage of malnourished children in Rongram C & RD Block is 18 per cent, Selsella is 17 per cent, Dalu is 25 per cent, Dadenggre is 11 per cent, Tikrikilla is 15 per cent, Gambegre is 16 per cent and Tura urban is 2 per cent. She also mentioned that as per NFHS there are about 29 % underweight children in Meghalaya and IMR in West Garo Hills district is 432.
In her power point presentation, District Program Officer, ICDS Cell, Tura H Ch Sangma highlighted on the objectives of Poshan Abhiyan which aims to prevent and reduce malnutrition, stunting in children and low birth rate amongst others. She also briefed about the suggested activities being undertaken in the district and stressed on the activity calendar including awareness campaign for adolescent girls, mapping of anaemia among students, amongst others.
Details about the website of Poshan Abhiyan and the necessary guidelines for accessing the website were explained by CDPO, Dr Ivan Marak.
