Home » National » Union WCD Minister , Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani launches “Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi”

Union WCD Minister , Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani launches “Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi”

Newdelhi:12/5/23:Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD), Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, during a national event organized on strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) at Vigyan Bhavan on 10th May 2023, launched “Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi”, that is “Education along with nutrition”, in the presence of Shri Munjpara Mahendrabhai, Minister of State MWCD;  Shri Indevar Pandey, Secretary (WCD) and Shri Sanjay Kaul, Chairperson of the ECCE Task Force of the Ministry.

In the presence of over 800 state representatives, ICDS functionaries, CDPOs, Supervisors, and Anganwadi workers, Union Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani delivered the keynote address. She highlighted Government’s commitment to ensuring holistic development of all children under the age of 6 years, with a focus on building their skills in the key development domains identified under the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) viz.,  physical/motor, cognitive, socio-emotional-ethical, cultural/artistic, and the development of communication and early language, literacy and numeracy under ‘Poshan bhi Padhai bhi’

Image

Secretary Shri Indevar Pandey, MWCD, building on the implications of “Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi” mentioned the endeavour of achieving 2 hour daily ECCE teaching in Anganwadi centres that will be delivered in the mother-tongue and aligned through state curricula to the National Curriculum Framework. He also underlined the collective responsibility for the holistic development of the country’s younger population, including early stimulation for children in the age group 0-3 years and the need to build Anganwadi centres into vibrant learning centres that children would look forward to attending. He stated that in this direction, a policy decision has been taken to convert all mini Anganwadi Centres in the country into full-fledged Anganwadi Centres.

Shri Mohd Zafar Khan, Deputy Director, ICDS, spoke about different initiatives in State of Uttar Pradesh like SAMBhav, Poshan Pathshala and a roadmap to reduce malnutrition. Reiterating Shri Sampath Kumar’s submission of need for transforming Anganwadi centres, he spoke of adding BaLa paintings, child friendly furniture, WiFi, LED TV etc.

Dr. Indurani Jakhar, Commissioner (Additional Charge), ICDS spoke about the best ECCE practices implemented in Maharashtra and underscored their strategy of triple A: Aarambh, Aakar, Ankur. Aakar deals with ECCE at the Anganwadi centre level and is a child centric preschool education program implemented since 2016. It focuses on a child’s holistic development through experimental learning and has shown enormous growth in learning outcomes over the last 5 years of its implementation.

Shri S.J. Chiru, Principal Secretary, Social Welfare & Women Empowerment brought to fore Tamil Nadu’s perspective where 54 thousand Anganwadi serve over 22 lakh children. Mentioning best practices, he spoke about the Aadi Paadi Vialyadu Pappa (APVP) program which is a developmental and age appropriate annual and contextualized curriculum where 11 child friendly-theme based activities (minute to minute programs) are distributed to Anganwadi workers.

 

About Editor in chief

Ashok Palit has completed his graduation from Upendranath College Soro, Balasore and post graduation from Utkal University in Odia Language and literture.. He has also carved out a niche for himself as a scribe of eminence after joining the profession in 1988. He is also an independent media production professional. He brings loads of experience to Advanced Media, Ashok Palit as a cineaste has been active in film criticism for over three decades. As a film society activist, he soared to eminence for his profound commitment to the art film appreciation and aesthetics of cinema. His mode of discourse is often erudite but always lucid and comprehensible marked by a perfect acumen so rare in the field. A film aesthete with an immense fond of critical sensibilities, he wrote about growth and development of odia cinema in New Indian Express, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Asian Age and Screen. He has been working as an Editor for Cine Samaya from 2002-2004.. He had made solid contribution on cinema in many odia Dailies and weekly such as Samaj, Prajatantra, Dharatri, Samaya, Satabadi, and weekly Samaya.
x

Check Also

‘Mahadeepa’ of Lord Lingaraj will be placed atop the temple crown (Dadhinauti) at 10 pm on Maha Shivaratri

Bhubaneswar: 24/2/25:The ‘Mahadeepa’ of Lord Lingaraj will be placed atop the temple crown (Dadhinauti) at 10 pm on Maha Shivaratri Day scheduled on February 26. This was announced by Law ...