Lok Sabha Question No. 151 (STARRED), answered on 2022-12-16
Subject: Anemic Women in Reproductive Age Group
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *151 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2022

## 'ANEMIC WOMEN IN REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP'

- *151 SHRI T. R. BAALU Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
- (a) whether  India  accounts  for  almost  a  quarter  of  the  stunted  children  worldwide and  the  country's  share  of  anemic  women  in  the  reproductive  age  group  is  a substantial one-third of the global numbers;
- (b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (c) the measures taken/being taken by the Government keeping in view the fact that India's food policies have not succeeded in responding adequately to the growing nutrition needs of the people and meet the challenges of the changing times?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (C) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  151  BY  SHRI  T.  R.  BALLU  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  16.12.2022 REGARDING 'ANEMIC WOMEN IN REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP'

(a) & (b) India has shown improvement in the prevalence of stunting among children. The  estimated  number  of  underweight,  malnourished  and  severely  malnourished children under 5 years of age is obtained under National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted  by  the  Ministry  of  Health  &  Family  Welfare.  As  per  the  recent  report  of NFHS-5 (2019-21), the nutrition indicators for children under 5 years have improved as compared  with  NFHS-4  (2015-16).  The  prevalence  of  Stunting  among  the  children under 5 years as per NFHS 5 survey has reduced from 38.4% to 35.5%. Further, the prevalence of anaemia among all women of reproductive age group 15-49 years in the country as per the National Family Health Survey  5  (2019-21)  is 57  percent. Government  has  accorded  high  priority  to  the  issue  of  malnutrition  and  is  making serious  efforts  to  address  this  issue.  The  efforts  under  the  Supplementary  Nutrition Programme under Anganwadi Services and POSHAN Abhiyaan have been rejuvenated and  converged  as  'Saksham  Anganwadi  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.  It  rests  on  the  pillars  of Convergence, Governance, and Capacity-building. POSHAN Abhiyaan is the key pillar for Outreach and will cover innovations related to nutritional support, ICT interventions, Media  Advocacy  and  Research,  Community  Outreach  and  Jan  Andolan.  Steps  have been  taken  to  improve  nutritional  quality  and  testing  in  accredited  labs,  strengthen delivery  and  leverage  technology  under  the  'Poshan  Tracker',  a  robust  ICT  enabled platform to improve governance with regard to real time monitoring of provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt supervision and management of services. Government released Streamlined Guidelines dated 13.1.2021 for greater transparency, accountability  and  quality  in  the  nutrition  support  programme  and  service  delivery. These  guidelines  emphasize  on  ensuring  the  quality  of  supplementary  nutrition, highlights roles and responsibilities of duty holders, IT enabled data management and monitoring,  leveraging  of  traditional  knowledge  through  AYUSH,  procurement  and convergence for achieving good nutritional outcomes.

Under  Poshan  2.0,  focus  is  on  diet  diversity,  food  fortification,  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.  A  programme  to  support  development  of  Poshan

Vatikas  at  Anganwadi  centers  to  meet  dietary  diversity  gaps  leveraging  traditional knowledge in nutritional practices has also been taken up.Further, the Government of India  has  launched  Anemia  Mukt  Bharat  (AMB)  strategy  with  the  target  to  reduce anemia in women, children and adolescents in life cycle approach. The 6x6x6 strategy under AMB implies six age groups, six interventions and six institutional mechanisms. The  six  interventions  under  Anemia  Mukt  Bharat  strategy  include,  Prophylactic  Iron Folic  Acid  Supplementation,  Periodic  de-worming,  Intensified  year-round  Behaviour Change  Communication  Campaign,  Testing  and  treatment  of  anemia,  using  digital methods  and  point  of  care  treatment,  Convergence  and  coordination  with  other  line departments and ministries for strengthening implementation etc

(c) It  is  incorrect to state that India's food policies have not succeeded in responding adequately to the growing nutrition needs of the people. To address the challenges of malnutrition  and  anaemia  in  women  and  children  arising  due  to  deficiency  of  micro nutrients like  Iron,  Folic  Acid  and  Vitamin  B-12,  under  Supplementary  Nutrition Programme (SNP) of Anganwadi Services, Fortified Rice is being allocated to State/UTs from  second  quarter  of  2021-22.  From  the  3rd  quarter  of  FY  2021-22  onwards,  only Fortified  Rice  is being  allocated to all  the State/UTs. So far, under SNP, this Ministry has allocated 731962 MTs of Fortified Rice in FY 2021-22 and 938207 MTs of Fortified rice up to third quarter of FY 2022-23 to all the States/UTs. Further, more emphasis is being given on the supply of millets for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal and Take Home rations  at  Anganwadis  for  Pregnant Women,  Lactating  mothers  and  children  below  6 years of  age,   as  millets  are  highly  nutritious  and  are  known  to  have  high  nutrient content which includes protein, essential fatty acid, dietary fibre, B-Vitamins, minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, folic acid  and other micro-nutrients thus helping to tackle anaemia and other micro-nutrient deficiencies common among women and children. It may  also  be  noted  that  as  per  the  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  &  Poshan  2.0 guidelines, millets need to be mandatorily supplied at least once a week and suitably integrated in THR and HCM in a palatable form.

The  issue  of  food  security  at  the  household  level  has  been  addressed  by  the Government  by  ensuring  access  to  adequate  quantity  of  quality  food  grains  at subsidised rates. With a view to achieve nutrition security in the country, Government of India  approved  for  supply  of  fortified  rice  throughout  the  Targeted  Public  Distribution System  (TPDS),  Integrated  Child  Development  Services  (ICDS),  Pradhan  Mantri Poshan  Shakti  Nirman-PM  POSHAN  [erstwhile  Mid-Day  Meal  Scheme  (MDM)  and Other Welfare Scheme of Government of India in all States and Union Territories (UTs). Further,  even  during  COVID  pandemic,  free  ration  was  provided  to  80  crore  people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.

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