Why Did Haryana Nominate 621 Panchayats for the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan?

Chandigarh, June 4 (NationPress) In a significant move, Haryana has nominated 621 gram panchayats for the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan. Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi convened a meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of this initiative launched by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.

This program is designed to enhance nutrition and community development in rural areas, encouraging healthy competition among village panchayats to tackle malnutrition and lay the groundwork for a developed nation.

The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan aligns with Sustainable Development Goals II and III, focusing on improved nutritional outcomes through enhanced infrastructure and independent evaluations.

Out of the nominated panchayats, 531 have fulfilled the eligibility requirements to be recognized as Suposhit Gram Panchayats, according to an official statement.

During the meeting, Chief Secretary Rastogi highlighted a notable achievement from Bhodwal Majri village in Panipat district, where Shivani Panchal, the daughter of an anganwadi worker, earned an impressive All-India Rank 53 in this year’s UPSC Civil Services Examination.

He announced that both the anganwadi worker and her daughter will be honored by the government, and the local anganwadi center will be upgraded to a model facility.

The meeting detailed that the focus areas under the abhiyan include anganwadi infrastructure, nutrition status of children, and the provision of supplementary nutrition. Evaluations will be conducted based on these criteria.

Chief Secretary Rastogi emphasized the initiative's importance, stating: “The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan is a crucial step towards achieving nutritional security and sustainable development in Haryana. I urge all districts to expedite the evaluation process and adhere to the necessary standards.”

He also mentioned that the top gram panchayats will receive an incentive of Rs 1 lakh each, with additional rewards for panchayats and anganwadi workers who significantly contribute to the program's success and infrastructure enhancements, including the establishment of Poshan Vatikas.

The nominations were submitted by January 31, followed by preliminary screenings that concluded by February 15. Ongoing peer reviews by state teams are set to be finalized by July.

Third-party validations are scheduled from August to September, with final results anticipated by September or October. Assessments will be based on critical indicators such as nutrition, child healthcare, and infrastructure readiness.

Additionally, the meeting reviewed findings from recent interstate peer evaluations. A team from Mizoram assessed 55 gram panchayats in Haryana in April, while Haryana officials reviewed 17 gram panchayats in West Bengal.

Rastogi directed officials to ensure all preparations are finalized for the upcoming peer reviews in June. He also stressed the necessity of utilizing the Poshan tracker for real-time data-driven evaluations and called for dedicated efforts to bridge gaps in infrastructure and service delivery.