Nagaland to observe Poshan Maah with rest of the country
Focus on dietary diversity, child development
KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 8 (MExN): Nagaland will join the rest of the country in observing the 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 throughout September, with the theme “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari” (Our Anganwadi, Our Responsibility).
The month-long campaign, implemented under POSHAN Abhiyaan, will focus on strengthening nutrition, maternal health, childcare and early childhood development through community participation. In Nagaland, the Department of Social Welfare, in convergence with the Health & Family Welfare, School Education, Agriculture, Horticulture, NSRLM-RD, AYUSH, local administration and community institutions, will conduct activities across the State.
According to the Department, Anganwadi Centres will remain at the centre of the campaign, with emphasis on community ownership, service quality and accountability. The State campaign will focus on five key priorities: dietary diversity and adequate protein; fresh hot cooked meals at Anganwadi Centres; community ownership and accountability; nutrition and early stimulation for childhood development; and the 10-year milestone of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
Activities planned during the month include promotion of locally available nutritious foods, recipe demonstrations, Poshan Melas, protein-rich food campaigns, weekly menu rotation, and hot cooked meal demonstrations and tasting sessions. Community participation will be strengthened through Anganwadi Management Committees, SNP Menu Boards, Mothers’ Committees and local institutions to improve transparency and monitoring of nutrition services.
The campaign will also highlight the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, early stimulation, responsive caregiving and Early Childhood Care and Education. The revised Home Visit Scheduler, along with age-appropriate learning through Navchetna and Aadharshila, will also be promoted.
A special focus will be given to PMMVY, which marks 10 years as the country's flagship maternity benefit programme. Awareness and enrolment drives will be undertaken in Nagaland to identify eligible beneficiaries and facilitate registration, verification and Direct Benefit Transfers, alongside promotion of maternal nutrition and health-seeking behaviour.
The campaign will further include intensified home visits for focused and high-risk beneficiaries, growth monitoring, Poshan Tracker updates, VHSND convergence, information, education and communication activities, social media campaigns and promotion of local foods and indigenous knowledge.
Village Councils, self-help groups, parents, caregivers, youth and community leaders will also be mobilised to strengthen grassroots participation.
The Department said Poshan Maah 2026 is “not merely a month of awareness” but a call for sustained community action, with Anganwadi Centres envisioned as hubs for nutrition, care, learning and community participation. The campaign reiterates the theme, “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari” — Our Anganwadi, Our Responsibility.
