Lok Sabha Question No. 1789 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-10
Subject: Food Fortification for Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, SANJAY JAISWAL, Shrirang Appa Barne, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1789

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2017

## FOOD FORTIFICATION FOR CHILDREN

1789:   DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether packaged fortified food, which showed remarkable result in treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Africa has proved less effective in trials conducted in India and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  experts  have  been  cautioning  against  'quick  fixes'  of  buying  commercial products instead of focusing on sustainable measures such as care support for mothers, clean drinking water and food security to treat malnutrition, if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government has set up a scientific panel on 'food fortification and nutrition' to help fight malnutrition in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the progress made on the front and the time line for its operationalisation; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government for the awareness of malnutrition and for protective method to eradicate this problem?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY  WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA RAJ)

- (a) Under  the  Integrated  Child  Development  Services  (ICDS)  Scheme  of  the  Ministry, Supplementary  Nutrition  is  provided  in  the  form  of  Take  Home  Ration  to  Children  6 months to 3 years of age, pregnant and lactating women and Morning Snacks and Hot Cooked Meals to Children from 3 to 6 years of age as per the nutritional norms provided under Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act, 2013, which is as under:

| Sl. No.   | Category                                     | Nutritional Norms (per beneficiary per day)   | Nutritional Norms (per beneficiary per day)   |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| S         |                                              | Calories (K Cal)                              | Protein (g)                                   |
| 1.        | Children (6-72 months)                       | 500                                           | 12-15                                         |
| 2.        | Severely malnourished children (6-72 months) | 800                                           | 20-25                                         |
| S 3.      | Pregnant women and Nursing mothers           | 600                                           | 18-20                                         |

Supplementary nutrition is given in order to bridge the gap between the Recommended Dietary  Allowance (RDA) and Average Dietary Intake (ADI). The Revised Nutritional and Feeding Norms for Supplementary Nutrition in ICDS Scheme issued by the Ministry on  24.2.2009  provide  for  fortification  of  supplementary  foods  with  essential  micronutrients up to 50% of the RDA.

Further, this Ministry is not aware of any such scientific trial.

- (b) The  scheme  does  not  provide  for  "quick  fix"  commercial  products.  However,  since malnutrition is a multi-faceted problem and cannot be addressed by a single sector alone, steps towards care and support of mothers, provision of clean drinking water, household food security, coverage of health services are essential.
- (c)       & (d) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health  and  Family  Welfare  has  set  up  a  Scientific  Panel  on  'Food  Fortification  and Nutrition' comprising of distinguished experts and scientists as member in order to inter alia indentify  critical  nutritional  gaps  in  Indian  diet  in  general  population  as well as in specific  target  groups  based  on  diet  surveys  and  credible  scientific  evidence,  define strategies  to  address  nutritional  needs  of  the  general  population  and  vulnerable  groups, review  the  standards  for  all  suitable  food  vehicles  and  regulatory  and  other  related technological issues for nutrient fortification.
- (e) The  Government  has  accorded  high  priority  to  the  issue  of  malnutrition  and  is implementing several schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Departments through States/UTs  to  address  one  or  other  aspects  related  to  nutrition.  This  Ministry  is implementing  Integrated  Child  Development  Services  (ICDS)  Scheme,  Scheme  for Adolescent  Girls  (Sabla)  and  Maternity  Benefit  Program  (MBP)  as  direct  targeted interventions.

Food and Nutrition Board of the Ministry, through its regional field units, is engaged in conducting  training  programmes  in  nutrition,  advocacy  towards  generating  awareness through  nutrition  education  programmes  on  the  importance  of  healthy  balanced  diets especially through the use of locally available foods, mass awareness campaigns and use of electronic and print media.

The main aim of all these activities is to improve nutritional outcomes and bring down the level of malnutrition in the country.

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