Kohima, October 9 (MExN): Nagaland recorded 25,440 activities across all 17 districts during the ninth Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026, organised under the theme “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”, with five districts registering more than 2,000 activities each.
According to data from the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) of the Department of Social Welfare, Mokokchung recorded the highest number of activities at 3,076, followed by Mon (2,609), Peren (2,597), Zunheboto (2,575) and Tuensang (2,074).
Eleven districts crossed the 1,000-activity mark during the campaign. Besides the five leading districts, Wokha recorded 1,834 activities, Longleng 1,804, Phek 1,549, Kohima 1,490, Chümoukedima 1,113 and Dimapur 1,066.
The newly formed districts of Niuland, Shamator, Tseminyu, Noklak and Meluri also participated in the campaign through Anganwadi-led initiatives.
The Department of Social Welfare spearheaded the month-long campaign under POSHAN Abhiyaan, with Anganwadi Centres serving as community hubs for nutrition awareness, early childhood development and community participation.
The initiative brought together mothers, fathers, grandparents, youth, self-help groups (SHGs), Village Councils, church and civil society leaders, teachers, health workers and media personnel. Activities included nutrition pledges, rallies, Poshan Melas, recipe demonstrations and demonstrations of hot cooked meals.
Theme-wise activities
The theme-wise data showed that nutrition, early stimulation and education for childhood development accounted for the highest number of activities at 5,679. The initiatives highlighted the first 1,000 days of a child's life and early brain development through responsive caregiving, the revised Home Visit Scheduler, and learning programmes such as Navchetna and Aadharshila. Mokokchung, Peren and Zunheboto were the leading districts under this theme.
Community ownership and accountability accounted for 5,093 activities, with Mokokchung recording 903, Zunheboto 564 and Mon 530. The activities focused on mobilising Village Councils and SHGs to strengthen community participation and accountability in nutrition initiatives.
Fresh hot cooked meals at Anganwadi Centres accounted for 4,903 activities, including demonstrations of weekly menu rotations and tasting sessions. Mokokchung led with 696 activities, followed by Mon with 684 and Peren with 540.
Dietary diversity and adequate protein accounted for 3,799 activities, promoting locally available protein-rich foods and produce from nutrition gardens. Tuensang recorded the highest number under this theme at 502, followed by Wokha with 435 and Peren with 429.
Activities relating to cash transfers under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) totalled 2,106. The initiatives marked 10 years of the maternity benefit scheme through enrolment and verification drives. Mokokchung recorded 301 activities, Mon 273 and Zunheboto 217.
The remaining 3,860 activities covered other initiatives, including rallies, plantation drives and outreach programmes in schools and among adolescents.
Inter-departmental convergence
The campaign involved the Departments of Health and Family Welfare, School Education, Agriculture, Horticulture, the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission under the Rural Development Department (NSRLM-RD), and AYUSH.
Health teams facilitated growth monitoring and Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND) sessions, while the Agriculture and Horticulture departments promoted nutrition gardens. Local administrative bodies supported the implementation of activities at the grassroots level.
To expand public awareness, the SPMU also undertook a mass-media campaign featuring themed newspaper advertisements in English and vernacular publications, along with sponsored radio programmes and jingles broadcast through All India Radio (AIR).
National campaign
Rashtriya Poshan Maah is an annual flagship campaign of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, launched under POSHAN Abhiyaan on March 8, 2018. It operates under the broader framework of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
Since its inception, the national initiative has recorded more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities, supported by the real-time Poshan Tracker and maternal benefit transfers exceeding Rs 21,000 crore through PMMVY, according to the campaign information.
The SPMU of the Department of Social Welfare expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, partner departments and citizens for their participation, and said efforts would continue throughout the year to ensure that Anganwadi Centres remain active hubs of nutrition, care and learning across Nagaland.
