Better nutrition for Banswara children

Poshan Swaraj Abhiyan initiative covers 750 tribal-dominated Rajasthan villages

Children and adolescents in 750 villages of the tribal-dominated Banswara district in Rajasthan have started receiving nutritious food as part of the Poshan Swaraj Abhiyan to strengthen their health status ahead of an impending third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign seeks to protect the most vulnerable among undernourished children. Banswara-based Vaagdhara, which works on tribal livelihood issues, has taken up the drive in collaboration with the district administration and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). About 67,000 children residing in five panchayat samiti areas of the district were screened at the start of the drive last week. Identified children were being provided nutritious food cooked using local edible items at special nutrition and counselling camps in an attempt to reduce malnutrition levels. Vaagdhara secretary Jayesh Joshi said on Friday that the camps were organised in a participatory learning mode with predefined and planned activities.