Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 25 (ANI): BJP MP from Mandi and actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut distributed nutrition kits under the Poshan Abhiyaan in Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh, on Tuesday.

The initiative aims to combat malnutrition and promote healthy dietary practices among women and children.

Speaking on the occasion, Kangana Ranaut said, 'This effort is aimed at empowering women by providing essential nutrients. Each kit, designed for three months, contains various types of nutrients, and we have urged everyone to incorporate them into their daily diet. Over 17,000 kits are being distributed here.'

Highlighting the issue of malnutrition, she added, 'Malnutrition remains a significant challenge, primarily due to a lack of awareness.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the unique initiative, POSHAN Abhiyaan (erstwhile National Nutrition Mission), on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, 2018, from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. The POSHAN (Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan directs the country's attention towards the problem of malnutrition and aims to address it in a mission-mode.

POSHAN Abhiyaan is India's flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. This ambitious program aims to combat malnutrition with a specific focus on reducing the alarming prevalence of stunting among young children aged 0 to 6 years. The goal is to decrease the current stunting rate of 38.4 per cent to a more acceptable 25 per cent by the year 2022, ensuring a healthier future for the nation's youngest and most at-risk populations.

The POSHAN Abhiyaan aims to improve the nutritional status of children aged 0 to 6 years, as well as pregnant women and lactating mothers, within a specified timeframe.

Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who registered her first victory on a BJP ticket from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, took oath as a member of Parliament in 2024. She defeated Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)