A wave of nutrition in Maharashtra even during the Corona period.
15 lakh 76 thousand telephones
4 lakh 59 thousand messages
6 lakh 31 thousand broadcast messages
10 million WhatsApp chatbot users
The Corona epidemic is still raging in the state, but the state’s Department of Women and Child Development is working tirelessly to ensure that childcare and nutrition are carried out regularly and properly. The ‘Tarang Suposhit Maharashtracha’ campaign launched as a part of the same has made it possible to reach millions of beneficiaries. Thousands of beneficiaries have been able to get information through WhatsApp chats, direct phone calls and proper planning of counselling and other matters, so now the mobile number 8080809063 has become the password through Tarang Suposhan.
The ‘Tarang Suposhit Maharashtracha’ campaign has made it possible to reach out to the beneficiaries across the state through ‘IVR Helpline’, WhatsApp chat boat, broadcast phone and messaging system as well as ‘Ek Ghas Mayecha’, ‘Ajibaichya Gujgoshiti’. ‘Tarang Suposhit Maharashtracha’ by the Women and Child Development Department of the State Government is an excellent digital initiative to keep in touch with potential beneficiaries even during epidemics. This is an important step towards tally nutrition as you can get information related to the nutrition and health of children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and teenage girls at the click of a finger. The platform is working very effectively to create a conducive environment at home for the holistic growth of children through age-appropriate nutrition counselling CDs and pre-school ECCE initiatives, said IA Kundan, Principal Secretary, Department.
While implementing the concept of ‘Competent Women, Healthy Children, Nutritious Maharashtra’ in the state, the objective of the government is to achieve the goal of empowered women, well-nurtured Maharashtra and all-round developed children. Previously recorded messages on various aspects of nutrition and child-rearing are sent from the IVR helpline number. Can also send their feedback for this message. So far 15 lakh 76 thousand 300 telephones have been made through this channel. Four lakh 58 thousand 995 text messages have been sent. Ten lakh 12 thousand 407 beneficiaries have responded so far through WhatsApp chatbot while the message has reached 3 crores 58 lakh 52 thousand 295 people so far. The total number of beneficiaries answering the broadcast call is 6 lakh 5 thousand while the average time peruse is one and a half minutes. Broadcast messages were sent to 6 lakh 30 thousand 841 people.
Under the initiative ‘Ek Ghas Mayecha’, various nutritious recipes for pregnant women were disseminated through videos in view of the potential danger of neglecting children’s diet during the epidemic and subsequent lockout period. ‘Ek Ghas Mayecha’ received a very good response. The videos, which provide helpful guidance on breastfeeding mothers and hygiene practices and responsive diets, have been circulated through social media platforms, including WhatsApp chatbots. It has reached more than 60,000 people so far through social media platforms.
Another initiative, ‘Ajibaichya Gujgoshiti’, has created an animated video series to dispel various misconceptions related to a child’s first thousand days. The series is about reaching out to households and overcoming fears created by misunderstandings and epidemics. The series has been circulated through WhatsApp and has reached more than seven thousand people through social media.
