The Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) is a flagship, month-long initiative under the Government of India’s POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment). Launched in 2018, it is a Jan Andolan or people’s movement that aims to place nutrition at the forefront of the national development agenda. The program is designed to combat malnutrition and foster holistic health and development, particularly for children, adolescents, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The 8th edition in 2025 continues this mission with the overarching vision of building a Suposhit Bharat (Nourished India) and is implemented under the framework of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 .
Important Dates
- Celebration Period: The 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah is observed from 17th September to 16th October 2025 .
- Launch Date: Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the event on 17th September 2025 .
- Historical Context: Poshan Maah is celebrated annually throughout September. Since its inception in 2018, over 130 crore nutrition-centric sensitization activities have been conducted under various themes .
Objectives of the Initiative
The primary objectives of Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2025 are multi-faceted, aiming to create a holistic impact on the nation’s nutritional status:
- Combat Malnutrition: Prevent and reduce stunting, undernutrition, anemia, and low birth weight in children (0-6 years) .
- Promote Holistic Practices: Encourage positive nutrition-seeking behaviors, dietary diversity, and healthy lifestyles through community mobilization .
- Strengthen Early Childhood Care: Integrate nutrition with early education through the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (Nutrition as well as Education) framework, in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 .
- Foster Community Engagement: Sensitize and mobilize communities, families, and individuals to become active participants in the nutrition movement .
- Leverage Technology: Utilize digital tools like the Poshan Tracker for real-time monitoring and improved service delivery .
Key Themes and Focus Areas for 2025
The 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah is structured around several critical themes that guide its activities :
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Addressing Obesity | Raising awareness to reduce sugar and oil consumption to tackle overnutrition and promote balanced diets. |
| ECCE/Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi | Strengthening early childhood care and education at Anganwadi Centres to develop a high-quality preschool network. |
| Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam | Integrating environmental sustainability with nutrition awareness through tree plantation and eco-friendly practices. |
| Infant & Young Child Feeding (IYCF) | Improving feeding practices for children under two years, including exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding. |
| Men’s Involvement (Men-streaming) | Actively engaging men in nutrition awareness and caregiving roles to foster shared family responsibility. |
| Vocal for Local | Promoting grassroots empowerment and self-reliance through local food systems and traditional knowledge. |
| Convergent Actions & Digitization | Enhancing inter-ministerial/departmental coordination and using technology for efficient program implementation. |
Eligibility & Target Beneficiaries
The initiative is a nationwide awareness and service delivery campaign. Its primary target beneficiaries, who are the focus of sensitization and service efforts, include :
- Children under 6 years of age, with a special emphasis on the first 1000 days (from conception to 2 years).
- Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.
- Adolescent Girls.
- The broader community, including school children, parents, and caregivers.
Program Benefits & Expected Outcomes
While not a direct-transfer scholarship, the program delivers significant benefits through systemic and behavioral changes:
- Improved Health Indicators: Aims to further reduce rates of stunting, wasting, underweight, and anemia, building on past successes. For example, the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) already showed a reduction in stunting from 38.4% to 35.5% and underweight prevalence from 35.8% to 32.1% .
- Enhanced Service Delivery: Strengthens the reach and quality of services provided through Anganwadi Centres and schools .
- Community Empowerment: Creates informed communities that demand and adopt healthy nutritional practices.
- Holistic Child Development: Links nutrition with early education, ensuring children are ready for school and life .
Implementation & Activities
The Poshan Maah is implemented through a convergent model involving multiple government departments and grassroots stakeholders. Key activities include :
- Awareness Campaigns: Sensitization sessions in schools, community rallies, and workshops on topics like healthy eating and reducing oil/sugar intake.
- Health and Nutrition Services: Growth monitoring drives, anemia screening camps, and counseling on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices.
- Community Outreach: Joint outreach activities for parents, Shiksha Choupals, and community radio campaigns.
- School-Based Activities: Establishment of ‘Sugar Boards’ to educate on sugar risks, yoga sessions, eco-club discussions, and promotion of Shree Anna (millets) and local foods.
- Environmental Integration: Planting drives (Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam) and setting up nutrition gardens (Poshan Vatikas).
Role of Technology: The Poshan Tracker
A key component of Poshan Abhiyaan is the Poshan Tracker, a mobile application launched in March 2021 . As of September 17, 2025, it is deployed in 14,02,248 Anganwadi Centres and tracks over 9.14 crore beneficiaries . This digital platform enables:
- Real-time Monitoring: Allows Anganwadi workers to track the growth and nutritional status of children and mothers.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Helps in early identification of malnourished children for timely intervention.
- Transparent Service Delivery: Ensures that nutritional services reach the intended beneficiaries efficiently.
Why Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2025 Matters
This initiative is crucial for India’s future for several reasons:
- Breaks the Cycle of Malnutrition: By focusing on the first 1000 days of a child’s life and adolescent girls, it aims to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, which is exacerbated by poverty and gender discrimination .
- Builds Human Capital: Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of cognitive development, educational achievement, and future economic productivity .
- Promotes Equity: Ensures that the most vulnerable and marginalized sections of society have access to nutritional knowledge and services .
- Integrates Health and Environment: Thematic areas like Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam create a sustainable link between planetary health and human health .
- Fosters a Collective Responsibility: By encouraging men-streaming, it challenges traditional gender norms and promotes shared responsibility in caregiving and family health .
