Lok Sabha Question No. 281 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: NCPCR Inquiry on Malnutrition Deaths
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Nihal Chand Chauhan, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.281

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2021

## NCPCR INQUIRY ON MALNUTRITION DEATHS

- 281    SHRI NIHAL CHAND: SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU:

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

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any inquiry through National Commission for  Protection  of  Child  Rights  (NCPCR)  regarding  the  deaths  of children due to malnutrition in the country during the last two years;
- (b) if so, the details and findings thereof; and
- (c) the effective steps taken by the Government to make the country malnutrition free and to ensure that no such death occurs?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOMENT (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.281 by Shri  Nihal  Chand  and   Shri  Kanumuru  Raghu Rama Krishna Raju to be answered on 17.12.2021 regarding 'NCPCR Inquiry on Malnutrition Deaths'.

(a)  &  (b)     Government has not conducted any inquiry through the National Commission for Protection  of  Child  Rights  (NCPCR)  regarding  deaths  of  children  due  to  malnutrition  in  the country during the last two years.

Malnutrition is not a direct cause of death among children.  However, malnourished children are  more  vulnerable  to  any  infection  than  normal  children.  It  can  increase  morbidity  and mortality by reducing resistance to infections. The overall under five mortality rate has reduced from 49.7 (NFHS-4) to 41.9 (NFHS-5) deaths per thousand live births.

(c)   Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several  schemes/programmes  through  States/UTs  to  address  various  aspects  related  to nutrition.  Goverrnment  is  implementing  the  Anganwadi  Services  Scheme,  Pradhan  Mantri Matru  Vandana  Yojana,  POSHAN  Abhiyaan  and  Scheme  for  Adolescent  Girls  under  the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services Scheme  (ICDS) as direct targeted interventions  to  address  the  problem  of  malnutrition  among  Children  (0-6  Years  of  age), Pregnant  Women  and  Lactating  Mothers  in  the  country.  Children  with  Severe  Acute Malnutrition are treated at the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Further, POSHAN Abhiyaan launched on 8th March, 2018, aims to reduce malnutrition in the country by adopting a synergised and result oriented approach.

Mission  Poshan  2.0,  an  integrated  nutrition  support  programme  has  been  announced  in budget  2021-2022  for  all  States/UTs.  It  seeks  to  strengthen  nutritional  content,  delivery, outreach and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition. Steps have been taken to improve nutritional quality and testing in accredited labs, strengthen delivery and leverage technology under Poshan Tracker to improve governance. States/UTs have been advised to promote use of AYUSH systems for prevention  of  malnutrition  and  related  diseases.  A  programme  to  support  development  of Poshan  Vatikas  at  Anganwadi  Centres  to  meet  dietary  diversity  gap  leveraging  traditional knowledge  in  nutritional  practices  has  also  been  taken  up.  Guidelines  were  issued  for transparency and accountability in delivery of supplementary nutrition and to track nutritional outcomes on 13.01.2021.

Under Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP), Ministry of Women  and Child Development  allocates  foodgrains  (wheat/fortified  rice/millets/coarse  grains)  to  States/UTs and  fund are provided  to  the  States/UTs  under  Supplementary  Nutrition  Programme (SNP).  Government has also promoted the allocation of fortified rice and millets under WBNP which plays a vital  role  in  curbing  malnutrition  and  anaemia.   Accordingly,  3,97,883  MTs of Fortified Rice and 1485 MTs of Bajra (upto 3rd quarter of FY 2021-22) has been allocated to States/UTs  for  providing  supplementary  nutrition  to  eligible  beneficiaries  i.e.  to  all  children between  6  months  to  6  years,  pregnant  women  and  lactating  mothers  and  severely malnourished children (6M to 6Y) under Anganwadi Services.

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