Port Blair, Sept 29: The Block Mission Management Units of Andaman &Nicobar Islands Rural Livelihood Mission (ANIRLM) attached to the Directorate of RD, PRIs & ULBs, A&N Administration organized “FISH FOOD FESTIVAL” as a part of celebration of 4thRashtriyaPoshanMaahwhich is celebrated across India during the month of September, 2021.
Since 2018, every year the PoshanMaah is celebrated under POSHAN Abhiyaan,the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment. The objective is to encourage Jan Bhagidaari, in order to create a Jan Andolan, for addressing malnutrition amongst young children, women and to ensure health and nutrition for everyone.
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands being surrounded with sea are rich in different kinds of sea-foods. The freshly available sea food of the Islands is one of the major sources of nutrition for one and all.
Therefore, this year while celebrating the 4thRashtriyaPoshanMaah, the ANIRLM organized Fish Food Festivalat C.D. Block Ferrargunj,Prothrapur, Little Andaman, Rangat, Diglipur,Mayabunder, Nancowry and CampbellBay.The event was organized in the presence of the Assistant Commissioners,the Block Development Officers and Senior Level officers from other line departments. The DAY-NRLM SHG members from all the Gram Panchayats under said Blocks actively participated in the event.
The programmewas organized in coordination with the officials from Social Welfare, Fisheries and HealthDepartments to orient the SHG members about the nutritional values & benefits of seafood. Later a contest of dishes & pickles of sea food preparedby the SHG members was organized. The SHG members brought home made dishes of sea food such as Fish/Prawn Biriyani, Fish Cutlet, Fish Kabab, Fish Kofta, Fish Pickle, Octopus Pickle, Prawn pickle,Fish Kartia, Fish Samosa, Fish Korma, Ouyau, Oyster, Fish Fry, Fish cooked in banana leaves, Steam Fish cakes with veg. banana& tapioca, etc.
Around 15 SHGs in each Block participated in the cooking competition. The best three dishes were awarded with 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize and the other participants were given consolation prizes.
This year while celebratingPoshanMaah along with the AzadiKaAmritMahotsav, the ANIRLM ensures speedy, intensive outreach and focused approach towards improving Holistic Nutrition for all, especially children and women and to have a healthy India ahead.