Lok Sabha Question No. 4701 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-23
Subject: Balanced Diet
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: LAXMAN GILUWA, HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4701 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 rd MARCH, 2018

## BALANCED DIET

## 4701. SHRI LAXMAN GILUWA: SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether about 10 per cent population of the country is deprived of balanced diet;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  provision  made by  the  Government  to  provide balanceddiet  to  the people of the country;
- (d) the reasons behind the deprivation of 10 per cent population despite im lementation of said scheme; and
- (e) the corrective steps taken by the Governm nt in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b): As per National Nutrition Monitoring Board report 2012, cereals and mille form  the  bulk  of  the  diets  of  the  rural  Indian  population.  In  general,  t he rural  population subsisting on inadequate diets as the mean intakes of all the food groups, except ro tubers are below the recommended dietary intakes (RDI) for Indians.

However,  there  is  no  specific  data  on  percentage  of population  of  the  count ry deprived of balanced diet.

(c):

- To provide balanced diet to the vulnerable age groups such as children under 6 yea age, adolescents, pregnant and lactating mothers, the Government has made provisions supplementary  nutrition  through  the  Supplem entary  Nutrition  Programme  (SNP) under the Anganwadi Services of the Umbrella ICDS Scheme.
- The details of daily nutrition entitlement for children and pregnant and lactating under this scheme, as provided under Schedule II of National Food Security Act, 2013 are as follows:
- Supplementary Nutrition under the Anganwadi Services Scheme is provided in order t bridge the gap between the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Indians prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Average Dietary Intake among th population based on the National Surveys. Accordingly, the nutrition norms under programme are formulated to bridge this gap.

|   S.No. | Category                                                | Type of meal                      |   Calories (Kcal) | Protein(g)   |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|--------------|
|       1 | Children (6 months to 3 years)                          | Take Home Ration                  |               500 | 12- 15       |
|       2 | Children (3 to 6 years)                                 | Morning snack and Hot Cooked Meal |               500 | 12- 15       |
|       3 | Children (6 months to 6 years) who are malnourishedTake | Home Ration                       |               800 | 20- 25       |
|       4 | Pregnant women and Lactating mothers                    | Take Home Ration                  |               600 | 18- 20       |

(d)& (e).

- The reasons behind inadequate consumption of balanced diet at population level are la availability, as well as knowledge regarding importance ofbalanced diet.
- Government  is  implementing  monthly  Village  Health  and  Nutrition Days  to  increase community  awareness  regarding  importance  of  consumption  of  nutritious  and  balance diet.