Lok Sabha Question No. 1828 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-27
Subject: Malnutrition Deaths
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: SANKAR PRASAD DATTA, NIHAL CHAND CHAUHAN, B.V. NAYAK, NISHIKANT  DUBEY, RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 1828

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2018

## MALNUTRITION DEATHS

1828.   SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA: SHRI NIHAL CHAND: SHRI B.V. NAIK: SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of deaths of children due to malnutrition in the country in recent years;
- (b) if so, the number of children reported dead due to malnutrition during the last three years in the country, State/UT-wise including Jharkhand;
- (c) whether the Government has made any specify task force to visit the vulnerable areas to identify the risk groups and find a solution of malnutrition there, if so the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the National Commission  for  Protection  of  Child  Rights  (NCPCR)  has conducted  any  study/investigation  to  ascertain  the  reasons  of  such  deaths,  if  so,  the details and the outcome thereof and
- (e) whether the Government has identified the areas having high burden of malnutrition in the country to address the issue of malnutrition and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF  WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a) & (b) The data on number of deaths of children in the country including Jharkhand is not maintained by this Ministry.
- (c) Although no task force has been constituted to identify the risk groups but the area which have high burden of malnutrition in the country have been identified for focused attention to address the issue of malnutrition.
- (d) Malnutrition is not a direct cause of death but contributes to mortality and morbidity by reducing resistance to infections. There are a number of causes of death of children such as  prematurity,  low  birth  weight,  pneumonia,  diarrhoeal  diseases,  non-communicable diseases,  birth  asphyxia  &  birth  trauma,  injuries,  congenital  anomalies,  acute  bacterial sepsis and severe infections, etc.
- (e) In  addition  to  the  Anganwadi  Services  Scheme,  Government  has  launched  Poshan Abhiyaan for improving the nutritional indicators of children and pregnant women and lactating mothers.The Abhiyaan is rolled out in a phased manner. The Abhiyaan aims to

prevent and reduce prevalence of stunting among children (0-6 years) in the country @ 2% per annum and undernutrition (underweight) prevalence among children (0-6 years) by  2%,  prevalence  of  anaemia  among  children  (6-59  months)  by  3%,  prevalence  of anaemia among women (15-49 years) by 3% and reduction in prevalence of low birth weight by 2% per annum. The Goals set under the Abhiyaan will be achieved by ensuring convergence with various programmes; incentivizing States/ UTs; IT enabled Real Time Monitoring  (ICT-RTM)  by  using  Smart  Phones;  Evaluation;  Community  mobilisation awareness advocacy; IEC, Online Course on Nutrition for Children, Nutrition message through folk songs and songs on WASH, and strengthening human resource, etc.

*******