The North News
Chandigarh/Malout, January 7
The Punjab government has launched a series of large-scale training and awareness programmes aimed at improving nutrition, health and early learning outcomes for young children across the state. A state-level Nutrition Awareness and Capacity Building Programme was held on Wednesday in Malout under the Nutrition Mission, with Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Baljit Kaur attending as chief guest.
Speaking at the event, the minister said the government was prioritising maternal and child welfare, with plans to strengthen frontline services. She said 5,000 Anganwadi workers had already been recruited and that a further 6,000 workers and helpers would be appointed in the coming months. Around 1,000 Anganwadi centres have also been modernised to improve basic facilities, she added.
The minister said nutrition and early childhood care and education (ECCE) were closely linked, stressing that meaningful learning and healthy development were not possible without adequate nutrition. Officials said the programme was organised under the Poshan Vi Padhai Vi training initiative, designed to enhance the skills of grassroots workers and improve the delivery of nutrition-related schemes. The Nutrition Mission is a multi-department effort involving health, education, women and child development, drinking water and sanitation departments.
He further said said continuous training of Anganwadi workers was essential to ensure government benefits reached intended families. She added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state was committed to a holistic approach to child development.
As part of the ECCE push, the Women and Child Development Department is rolling out state-wide training aligned with the National Education Policy, focusing on play-based and child-centric learning for children aged three to six. Officials said a cascade training model was being used, with master trainers coaching district- and block-level staff.
Similar programmes are expected to be held across all districts in phases, as the government works towards its nutrition, health and foundational education targets.
