Gujarat has achieved the fourth position in the country during the eighth edition of ‘Poshan Pakhwada’, contributing over 10% of the total activities conducted nationwide from April 9 to 23. Official data reveals that 73.14 lakh nutrition-related activities were carried out in the state during this two-week initiative.
On a national scale, Gujarat accounted for 10.77% of the total reported activities, positioning itself as one of the leading states in the execution of the ‘National Nutrition Mission’. The campaign was executed under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and supervised by Women and Child Development Minister, Dr. Manisha Vakil.
The Women and Child Development Department alone conducted 33.91 lakh activities, accounting for 46.36% of the state’s total output. Furthermore, more than 18 departments, including Health, Education, and Panchayat, collaborated to enhance outreach at various administrative levels.
The 2026 edition of Poshan Pakhwada concentrated on the theme of “maximising brain development in the first six years of life”. It emphasized early childhood care, focusing on cognitive growth alongside nutrition, as nearly 85% of a child’s brain development occurs by the age of six.
The campaign’s core pillars included enhancing nutrition for pregnant women, promoting breastfeeding practices, ensuring appropriate complementary feeding for infants, and fostering early cognitive development through communication and play. It also aimed to prepare children for formal schooling through play-based learning in Anganwadis and address concerns regarding increased screen time among children.
Improving anganwadi infrastructure and services through public participation and corporate social responsibility initiatives was another key aspect of the campaign. At the grassroots level, all gram panchayats in Gujarat organized various activities to raise awareness about nutrition and early childhood care, reflecting a comprehensive approach towards the national nutrition program.
