Anganwadi Tai Goes 'Digital' WCD's Tarang Suposhit Helpline is new saviour

Mumbai: Though the Corona pandemic is still raging in the state, the wave of hunger strikes carried out by the state's Department of Women and Child Development to ensure regular and proper child care and nutrition has reached lakhs of beneficiaries.Thousands of beneficiaries have been able to get information through WhatsApp chatbot and direct phone call based counseling, so now the phone number 8080809063 has become the saviour through these hard times. Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Women and Child Development Advocate Yashomati Tai Thakur said, "During the covid period, last year my department has worked extensively on digital platforms. Thanks to this digital platform of Tarang Suposhit Maharashtracha, we are in constant and direct contact with all the pregnant women, lactating mothers and parents of 0-6 years age children. WhatsApp chatbot as well as IVR voice calls make it easy to get instant information. Saksham Mahila, Sudrudh Balak, Suposhit Maharashtra is the vision of the department and it is a good step in that direction. Last year we secured number one in Rashtriya Poshan Maah, our nutrition related Jan Andolan is expanding due to consistent innovative initiatives such as Tarang Suposhit Maharashtracha. It is supporting in creating environment for holistic care during baby's first 1000 days. The work of the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, the Rajmata Jijau Mission and all the Anganwadi Sevika-Supervisors who are implementing this initiative is truly appreciable "

Through the Tarang Suposhan campaign, we have been able to reach out to the beneficiaries across the state through the IVR helpline, WhatsApp chatbot, broadcast calls and SMS system as well as the Ek Ghas Mayecha nutritious recipes and responsive feeding video campaign. Moreover, Aajibainchya Gujgoshti is an animated video series to address various social misconceptions related to the first 1000 days of a child during covid times through leveraging intergenerational influencers.

This has created the waves of nutrition throughout Maharashtra for continuing interface with potential beneficiaries for nutritional and early childhood development counselling even during covid pandemic. "Tarang Suposhit Maharashtracha is an excellent digital initiative of Women and Child Development Department of Government of Maharashtra for continuing interface with potential beneficiaries even during COVID-19 Pandemic. It is an important step towards tele-nutrition as you can access information at your fingertips related to nutrition and health of children, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls. It is acting as an empowering tool for parents, especially mothers in terms of creating an enabling environment at home for child's holistic growth through age-appropriate nutritional counselling, early childhood development, and pre-school early childhood care and education activities. We are continuously adding new features to the platforms to increase its effectiveness and reach." said I. A. Kundan, Principal Secretary, Dept. WCD.-

IVR helpline was started during the corona period. Through this helpline, overall information regarding nutrition and child care can be obtained from the phone number 8080809063, as many as 15,76,259 phone calls have been made so far and 4,58,994 post call SMS have been sent through. Similarly, through WhatsApp chatbot 10,12,407 beneficiaries have registered themselves and engaging with audio-video content. Up till now, 3,58,52,295 Whatsapp messages were exchanged between chatbot and users. The broadcast calls system was responded by 6,04,754 beneficiaries with average duration per user is one and a half minutes and 6,30,841 Broadcast SMS were sent mentioning Chatbot link, IVR helpline number, recipe link, and other information.