Lok Sabha Question No. 2547 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Group on Nutrition
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: C. N. JAYADEVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2547 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.01.2018

## GROUP ON NUTRITION

## 2547.  SHRI C. N. JAYADEVAN :

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether it is a fact that the NITI Aayog has recently constituted a working group on Nutrition;
- (b)  if  so, the details and the terms of reference thereof;
- (c)  whether  the working group has submitted its recommendations and if so, the details thereof and the time frame given to the Group to submit the report;
- (d)  whether  the Government has taken  all precautionary measures to safeguard against vested interests hijacking public policy; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) &( b) Yes, Madam. NITI Aayog has constituted a Working Group on Nutrition. The Notification Order  of  this  Group,  along  with  institutional  affiliations  and  Terms  of  Reference  is  placed  at Annexure I. Subsequent to the notification, a few other Members were co-opted in the Group and their details are at Annexure II.
- (c) No, Madam. The Group has not submitted any recommendations to NITI Aayog and there is no time frame fixed for the same.
- (d) & (e) The Central Government firmly believes in the principle of 'No conflict of interest', as clearly highlighted in the National Nutrition Strategy, released by NITI Aayog in September, 2017 and available on the NITI Aayog website at: http://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document\_publication/Nutrition\_Strategy\_Booklet.pdf.

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Annexure referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.2547 to be answered on 3.01.2018 raised by SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN, regarding 'Group on Nutrition'

No.NA/SW/1-7(1)/2017-WCD Government of India NITI Aayog

……….

## OFFICE MEMORANDUM

## Subject:  Constitution of Working Group on Nutrition.

NITI Aayog proposes to reach out for fresh ideas for a New India by 2022 on improving the Nutrition  sector.  It  also  seeks  inputs  on  monitoring,  effectively  implementing  and  scaling  up existing  Government  schemes,  etc.  in  the  Nutrition  sector.  In  view  of  this,  the  undersigned  is directed to state that NITI Aayog has constituted a Working Group on Nutrition with the following composition:

1. Dr Vinod Kumar Paul (Chair), Member, NITI Aayog
2. Sh Alok Kumar Adviser, Nutrition
3. Dr Rajesh Kumar, JS (ICDS), MoWCD
4. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, DG, ICMR
5. Dr. B Sesikeran, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)
6. Dr T Longvah, National Institute of Nutrition  (NIN)
7. Sh Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI
8. Dr. M.K. Bhan, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology
9. Dr Prema Ramachandran, Nutrition Foundation of India
10. Sh Basanta Kumar Kar, CEO, Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security
11. Dr. Purnima Menon, IFPRI
12. Dr Rajan Sankar, Tata Trust
13. Dr. Manjula Singh, Children's Investment Fund Foundation
14. Dr Yasmin Ali Haque, Representative- India, UNICEF
15. Ms Rekha Sinha, Director, International Institute of Life Sciences
16. Dr Luke Coutinho, Expert- Nutritionist
17. Mr. Sameer Maheshwari, Founder, Healthkart
18. Mr. Nilesh Jain, Founder and Director, Picostone Technologies
19. Sh Amod Kanth, General Secretary, Prayas
20. Mr Alok Ranjan, Country Lead, Nutrition, BMGF
21. Representative, World Bank
22. Prof Anura Kurpad, St John's Medical College, Bangalore

## 2. Terms of Reference for Expert Group on Nutrition:

1. To provide intellectual inputs and guidance to the Division, as per requirements.
2. To review the existing approach, strategies and priorities, on-going policies and programmes for Nutrition.
3. To highlight emerging issues and challenges with a special focus on the most vulnerable and deprived sections of the society.

Sansad Marg, New Delhi. The 26 th  September, 2017.

4. To recommend , where necessary, corrective measures, conceptual frameworks, alternative strategies, priorities, policies and programmes to accelerate the achievement of nutrition goals.

## Functioning

1. The Chair may co-opt other Experts and constitute Sub-Groups for specific tasks.
2. The Committee may take up any other issues, which it considers relevant.
3. The expenditure on TA/DA of officials of the Committee will be borne by their respective Ministry/ Department of Central/ State Government as per rules of entitlement applicable to them.
4. TA/DA for non-officials will be borne by NITI Aayog.
3. This issues with the approval of Competent Authority.

## To

1. Dr Vinod Kumar Paul (Chair), Member, NITI Aayog
2. Sh Alok Kumar Adviser, Nutrition
3. Dr Rajesh Kumar, JS (ICDS), MoWCD
4. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, DG, ICMR
5. Dr. B Sesikeran, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)
6. Dr T Longvah, National Institute of Nutrition  (NIN)
7. Sh Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI
8. Dr. M.K. Bhan, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology
9. Dr Prema Ramachandran, Nutrition Foundation of India
10. Sh Basanta Kumar Kar, CEO, Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security
11. Dr. Purnima Menon, IFPRI
12. Dr Rajan Sankar, Tata Trust
13. Dr. Manjula Singh, Children's Investment Fund Foundation
14. Dr Yasmin Ali Haque, Representative- India, UNICEF
15. Ms Rekha Sinha, Director, International Institute of Life Sciences
16. Dr Luke Coutinho, Expert- Nutritionist
17. Mr. Sameer Maheshwari, Founder, Healthkart
18. Mr. Nilesh Jain, Founder and Director, Picostone Technologies
19. Sh Amod Kanth, General Secretary, Prayas
20. Mr Alok Ranjan, Country Lead, Nutrition, BMGF
21. Representative, World Bank
22. Prof Anura Kurpad, St John's Medical College, Bangalore

Sd-

( Anamika Singh ) Deputy Secretary Tele: 23351139.

## Annexure referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.2547 to be answered on 3.01.2018 raised by SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN, regarding Group on Nutrition

## List of Co-Opted Members

1. Prof C. S. Pandav, Former Head, Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS
2. Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
3. Sh Raj Kumar Bhandari
4. Ms. Naiyya Saggi
5. Mr S. B. Agnihotri, IIT Mumbai
6. Mr. V. Ramani,