New Delhi, Oct 17 (NationPress) Savitri Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development, announced on Friday that over 20 crore activities were conducted during the recently concluded Poshan Maah 2025.

During the closing ceremony of the eighth Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2025 at the Himalayan Cultural Centre in Dehradun, Minister Thakur stated that the initiative strengthened the 'Jan Andolan' (public movement) aimed at promoting nutrition awareness, enhancing community involvement, and instigating behavioral change.

She remarked, “Nutrition is not just a program; it is our national duty and ethical obligation towards every child and mother in India.”

Thakur highlighted that the Poshan Abhiyaan, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2018, has transformed into a significant Jan Andolan, bringing together various ministries and citizens under a common goal of 'Empowered Women, Nourished India.'

She emphasized the importance of the first 1,000 days, from conception to two years old, as critical for a child’s growth and development. “A healthy mother births a robust generation; when every household maintains a balanced plate, the nation grows stronger,” she stated.

This year’s Poshan Maah was notably inclusive, with active participation from men and youth alongside women.

“Today’s well-nourished children will be the citizens of a Suposhit Bharat in 2047,” she added.

Earlier, Lav Agarwal, Additional Secretary for the Ministry of Women and Child Development, shared updates on 'Mission Poshan 2.0', stressing how digital governance and real-time monitoring have enhanced service delivery and transparency.

He mentioned that services are currently reaching over 10 crore beneficiaries, including children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls, through 14 lakh anganwadi centres across 36 states and Union Territories.

Agarwal highlighted how the Poshan Tracker App has revolutionized service delivery and management of beneficiaries, noting that more than 13 lakh Anganwadi workers are now equipped with smartphones linked to the app for accurate data collection and timely nutrition delivery.

Additionally, he pointed out that approximately 13.87 lakh centres have received growth monitoring devices.

Referring to the National Family Health Survey-5 data, Agarwal noted a significant decline in crucial malnutrition indicators—stunting fell from 38.4% to 35.5%, and underweight prevalence decreased from 35.8% to 32.1%.

“These figures are not mere statistics; they represent hope for millions transitioning from malnutrition to proper nutrition,” Agarwal concluded.