A nation nourished
A Nation Nourished: Building Healthy Lives, One Meal at a Time
Join us in the mission to ensure wholesome nutrition for children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers across India.
What is POSHAN Abhiyaan?
Launched on 8 March 2018, the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment is India's flagship effort to improve nutrition for children 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Vision
Malnutrition-free India through convergent action across sectors.
Target
Reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia & low birth-weight time-bound.
Focus
First 1,000 days from conception to 2 years as the critical window.
About the mission
POSHAN Abhiyaan: a people-first nutrition movement
It is more than a programme—it is a Jan Andolan (people’s movement) to put nutrition at the core of national development. The mission drives convergent, technology-enabled and community-led actions to shift from isolated interventions to a holistic ecosystem.
Guided by the Ministry of Women & Child Development and partners across India.
Vision & Target
- Build a malnutrition-free India through collaborative action across sectors.
- Reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth-weight in a time-bound manner.
- Focus on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life as the window for lifelong health.
Key objectives
What guides our action
Our approach
Convergence, technology and community
Multi-sectoral convergence
Coordinated action across health, WASH, education, agriculture, rural development and social protection for holistic outcomes.
Technology & data-driven monitoring
POSHAN Tracker and digital dashboards enable frontline workers to track growth, services and real-time oversight.
Community engagement & behavioural change
Jan Andolan mobilises local bodies, self-help groups and families to own the nutrition mission.
Life-cycle approach
Focus on the first 1,000 days, adolescence, and support for mothers before, during and after pregnancy.
Quality services & nutrient-rich diets
Diversified diets, fortified foods, value for millets, improved supplementary nutrition and stronger maternal/child care.
Key features
What makes the mission work
Impact & progress
Tracking the momentum
Baseline indicators were alarming: stunting among children under 5 years at ~38.4% (NFHS-4) and high anaemia levels among women and girls. Through the mission, states are reporting stronger service delivery, richer data collection and deeper community engagement.
The programme continues to evolve through POSHAN 2.0 and Mission Saksham Anganwadi & POSHAN 2.0, aligning resources to go further and faster.
Get involved
- As Individuals/Families: Adopt healthy dietary practices, promote kitchen gardens, join awareness drives.
- As Communities: Host Poshan Maah activities, nutrition sessions, partner with Anganwadi centres.
- As Partners/Organisations: Offer technical, financial or volunteer support; co-create interventions and monitor progress.
- Digital: Use POSHAN Tracker app, dashboards, and report field-level progress.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Who is covered under POSHAN Abhiyaan?
Children aged 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Does it replace existing nutrition programmes?
No — it converges and strengthens existing programmes toward unified nutrition goals.
How is progress tracked?
Through digital monitoring tools, dashboards, POSHAN Tracker mobile app, state/UT reporting and regular assessments.
Can communities participate?
Yes — strong emphasis on community ownership, local bodies, mothers’ groups, kitchen gardens and awareness campaigns.
Reach out
Contact & participation
Ministry: Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India
Email / Helpline: [Insert appropriate details here]
Address: 4th Floor, NeGD, Electronics Niketan, 6 CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003, India
Social Media: instagram.com/poshanabhiyaandnhdd
Ready to contribute?
Tell us about your community, partnership interest or volunteer capacity. The mission team can guide you to the right district and state focal points.
Write to the team