IMPROVEMENT IN NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF GIRLS AND MOTHERS

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POSHAN Abhiyaan (erstwhile National Nutrition Mission) was launched on 8^th March 2018, with an aim to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time bound manner by adopting a synergised and result oriented approach. The Abhiyaan has been rolled out in all the States/UTs.

The details of funds released under the scheme, in the last three years State/UT-wise including Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, are annexed.

PM-POSHAN scheme (mid-day meal scheme) is being implemented by Ministry of Education. As per the provisions of National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, children studying in classes I-VIII or within the age group of 6-14 years are entitled to one mid day meal free of charge, every day except on school holidays, in all Government and Government aided schools so as to meet nutritional standards specified in the Act. Accordingly, Government is implementing Pradhan MantriPoshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) Scheme. As per information received from Ministry of Education, this Scheme is implemented across the country and covers 12.16 crore children of Bal vatika (just before class I) and Classes I-VIII studying in 10.84 lakhs Government and Government-Aided Schools.

The Primary objectives of the Scheme are to improve the nutritional status of the students, to encourage them to attend classes more regularly and to help them concentrate better on learning activities.

Further, Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition among children under five years of age, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers and is implementing several schemes like POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, under Mission Poshan 2.0 and Pradhan MantriMatruVandanaYojana (PMMVY) under Mission Shakti, as direct targeted interventions to address the issue.

In order to maximize nutritional outcomes, recently the Anganwadi Services (erstwhile ICDS Scheme), Scheme for Adolescent Girls and PoshanAbhiyaan have been re-aligned under ‘SakshamAnganwadi and POSHAN 2.0’ (Mission Poshan 2.0). It seeks to address the challenges of malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers through a strategic shift in nutrition content and delivery and by creation of a convergent eco-system to develop and promote practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity. Poshan 2.0 focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding Norms, Treatment of MAM/SAM and Wellness through AYUSH. Technology is being leveraged under the ‘Poshan Tracker’, a robust ICT enabled platform to improve governance with regard to monitoring of provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt supervision and management of services.

Under Poshan 2.0, focus is on diet diversity, leveraging traditional systems of knowledge and popularizing use of millets. Nutrition awareness strategies under Poshan 2.0 aim to develop sustainable health and well-being through regional meal plans to bridge dietary gaps. Further, greater emphasis is being given on the use of millets (coarse grains) for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal and Take Home rations (not raw ration) at Anganwadi centres for Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Children below 6 years of age, as millets have high nutrient content to address anemia and other micro-nutrient deficiencies in women and children. Under Supplementary Nutrition Programme of Mission Poshan 2.0, only fortified rice is being allocated to States/UTs.

As per the report of National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) conducted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the nutrition indicators for children under 5 years and women have improved between the two rounds of the survey conducted in year 2015-16 (NFHS-4) and 2019-21 (NFHS-5). The prevalence of stunting has reduced from 38.4% in NFHS-4 to 35.5% in NFHS-5, wasting from 21.0% to 19.3% and underweight from 35.8% to 32.1%. Further, the prevalence of underweight among women (15-49 years) has reduced from 22.9% in NFHS-4 to 18.7% in NFHS-5.

Further, as per data recorded in Poshan Tracker, ICT application for Mission Poshan 2.0, close to 7 crore children were measured in the country in June 2023 as per which, 7% were wasted and 19% underweight, which is significantly lower than NFHS indicators.

Annexure

State-wise statement of funds released under POSHAN Abhiyaan from F.Y. 2018-19 to F.Y.2022-23 (as on 31.03.2023)

Amount in ₹ lakhs

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha yesterday.

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