Lok Sabha Question No. 2098 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Underweight Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Mimi Chakraborty

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2098

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2022

## UNDERWEIGHT CHILDREN

## 2098.  MS. MIMI CHAKRABORTY:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that India has reported high levels of stunting with  35.5  percent  children  below  the  age  of  five  years  were  stunted  and  32.1 percent were underweight in 2019-2021 and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) the progress made towards the target of reducing stunting to 25 percent by 2022 and the manner in which the Government will meet this target;
- (c) the  names  of  the  235  districts  that  were  identified  under  Poshan  Abhiyaan scheme in 2018-2019 and the percentage of stunting in these districts, year-wise from 2019 till date;
- (d) whether the Government has initiated the implementation of the scheme in all the remaining districts  of  all  36  States/UTs  and  made  financial  approvals  therefor; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) The status of malnutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight) in the country amongst  children  under  5  years  is  provided  by  the  National  Family  Health  Survey (NFHS) conducted periodically by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW). As per NFHS-5 (2019-21), there has been improvement in the key nutrition indicators as compared to NFHS-4 (2015-16). Among children under 5 years of age, Stunting has reduced from 38.4% to 35.5%, while Wasting has reduced from 21.0% to 19.3% and Underweight has reduced from 35.8% to 32.1%.

To  address  various  policy  and  systemic  gaps,  the  ICDS  and  Anganwadi  Services schemes  were re-evaluated by the Ministry in respect of programme  design, implementation process, outcome and impact and for re-assessing the relevance of the programme in achieving its aims and goals. A paradigm shift has been undertaken for the first time for improving nutritional norms and standards, quality and testing of TakeHome Ration (not raw ration), promoting greater stakeholder participation, re-enforcing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity around traditional community food habits and  by  improving  digital infrastructure support  for last-mile tracking  and monitoring of nutrition delivery.

POSHAN Abhiyaan  was  launched  on  8th  March  2018.  POSHAN  Abhiyaan  aims  to reduce malnutrition in the country in a phased manner by adopting a synergised and result oriented approach. Progress under POSHAN Abhiyaan, is as follows:

i.  The Abhiyan has been rolled out in all 36 States/ UTs of the country.

ii.  Under  the  Abhiyan,  for  the  first  time,  a  digital  revolution  was  ushered  in  when  the Anganwadi Centres were empowered with mobile devices. 11.30 lakh Smart Phones and 11.94 lakh GMDs have been procured by the States/UTs till date.

iii.  A  robust  ICT  Application  'Poshan  Tracker'  has  been  conceptualised  which  is  an overarching  system,  providing  inter-linkages,  and  promoting  real  time  data  with analytics. Around 12.63 lakh AWCs have started using the ICT Application.

iv.  More  than  40  crore  Jan  Andolan  based  activities  have  been  conducted  since  the launch of the Abhiyaan.

- v.  A  total  of  four  (4)  Poshan  Pakhwadas  and  four  (4)  Poshan  Maahs  have  been conducted since the launch of the Abhiyaan. Poshan Pakhwada 2022 (celebrated from 21st March-4th April) witnessed approximately, 2.96 crore  Jan  Andolan  based activities. Similarly, September, 2021 was celebrated as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah, wherein, 20.32 crore activities were conducted across the country.

vi. More than 10 lakh Frontline Functionaries have been trained on thematic modules following the cascade mode of training at State, District and Block level.

vii.  Community  Based  Events  (CBEs)  are  organized  in  a  converged  manner  in Anganwadi Centres  with  the  field  functionaries.  Around  3.70  crore  CBEs  have  been organized since the launch of the Abhiyaan.

viii. Area-wise diet charts were laid on the Table in Lok Sabha on 15th September 2020 and  23rd  September  2020.  The  diet  charts  have  also  been  uploaded  on  Ministry's website in English and Hindi.

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'.  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.

(c)  to  (e)    The  prevalence of Stunting among Children under 5 years in 235 districts which were included under POSHAN Abhiyaan in 2018-19 is at Annexure I .  POSHAN Abhiyaan is now being implemented across all the districts of 36 States/UTs.

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Annexure I Prevalence of Stunting among children under 5 years in 235 districts of

## States/UTs covered in Phase II (Year 2018-19) as per NFHS-5:

| State/UT          | District Name   | Stunting (%) NFHS 5 (2019-21)   |
|-------------------|-----------------|---------------------------------|
| Andaman &         | Nicobar         | 21.6                            |
| Nicobar           | South Andaman   | 21.1                            |
| Total             | 2               |                                 |
| Andhra Pradesh    | Guntur          | 23.8                            |
| Andhra Pradesh    | Krishna         | 29.8                            |
| Andhra Pradesh    | Spsr Nellore    | 29.2                            |
| Total             | 3               |                                 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Anjaw           | 23.6                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Dibang Valley   | 16.9                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | KraDaadi        | 28.8                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | KurungKumey     | 29.2                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Longding        | 15.8                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Lower Subansiri | 30.7                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Namsai          | 28.7                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Tirap           | 38.6                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | West Siang      | 24.5                            |
| Total             | 9               |                                 |
| Assam             | Baksa           | 41.2                            |
| Assam             | Bongaigaon      | 46.2                            |
| Assam             | Cachar          | 28.7                            |
| Assam             | Charaideo       | 39                              |
| Assam             | Chirang         | 42.7                            |
| Assam             | Dhemaji         | 37.2                            |
| Assam             | Dibrugarh       | 27.3                            |
| Assam             | Dima Hasao      | 30.6                            |
| Assam             | Golaghat        | 26.3                            |
| Assam             | Hailakandi      | 42.9                            |
| Assam             | Hojai           | 39.3                            |
| Assam             | Kamrup          | 22.6                            |
| Assam             | Kokrajhar       | 34.6                            |
| Assam             | Marigaon        | 43.2                            |
| Assam             | Nagaon          | 38.9                            |
| Assam             | Sivasagar       | 26.1                            |
| Assam             | South           | 38.9                            |

|                  | Tinsukia       | 32.8   |
|------------------|----------------|--------|
|                  | Udalguri       | 33.8   |
| Total            | 19             |        |
| Bihar            | Siwan          | 36.7   |
| Total            | 1              |        |
|                  | Balod          | 33.6   |
|                  | Baloda Bazar   | 40.9   |
|                  | Balrampur      | 35.1   |
|                  | Bemetara       | 38.4   |
|                  | Bilaspur       | 25.7   |
|                  | Dhamtari       | 30.5   |
|                  | Gariyaband     | 28.9   |
| Chhattisgarh     | Janjgir-Champa | 32.5   |
|                  | Kondagaon      | 37.6   |
|                  | Korea          | 32.1   |
|                  | Mungeli        | 30.1   |
|                  | Raigarh        | 39.1   |
|                  | Sukma          | 41.8   |
|                  | Surajpur       | 27.6   |
|                  | Surguja        | 29.4   |
| Total            | 15             |        |
| Daman & Diu (UT) | Daman          | 30     |
| Total            | 1              |        |
| Gujarat          | Amreli         | 35.3   |
|                  | Arvalli        | 47.1   |
|                  | BanasKantha    | 39     |
|                  | Bharuch        | 40.9   |
|                  | Chhotaudepur   | 48.6   |
|                  | Gandhinagar    | 38.1   |
|                  | Kachchh        | 37.5   |
|                  | Mahesana       | 31     |
|                  | Mahisagar      | 43.4   |
|                  | Morbi          | 32.9   |
|                  | Navsari        | 36.8   |
|                  | PanchMahals    | 47.1   |
|                  | Patan          | 50.5   |
|                  | Rajkot         | 38.9   |
|                  | Surat          | 36.1   |
|                  | Tapi           | 41.7   |
| Total            | 16             |        |
|                  | Bhiwani        | 29     |
| Haryana          | CharkiDadri    | 23.9   |

|                  | Gurugram       | 22.1                      |
|------------------|----------------|---------------------------|
|                  | Kaithal        | 29.9                      |
|                  | Karnal         | 29.2                      |
|                  | Kurukshetra    | 24.9                      |
|                  | Palwal         | 31                        |
|                  | Rohtak         | 28.9                      |
|                  | Sirsa          | 25                        |
|                  | Sonipat        | 23.6                      |
|                  | Yamunanagar    | 27.7                      |
| Total            | 11             |                           |
| Himachal Pradesh | Una            | 24.7                      |
| Total            | 1              |                           |
| Jammu & Kashmir  | Badgam         | 26.8                      |
|                  | Baramulla      | 23.2                      |
|                  | Doda           | 32.7                      |
|                  | Kargil         | District in Ladakh (36.5) |
|                  | Kathua         | 21.8                      |
|                  | Kupwara        | 24.9                      |
|                  | Rajauri        | 30.3                      |
|                  | Ramban         | 25.7                      |
| Total            | 8              |                           |
|                  | Bokaro         | 36.2                      |
|                  | East Singhbum  | 35.9                      |
|                  | Khunti         | 38.5                      |
| Jharkhand        | Ramgarh        | 35.3                      |
|                  | Ranchi         | 28.3                      |
|                  | Simdega        | 42.2                      |
| Total            | 6              |                           |
| Karnataka        | Belgaum        | 32.8                      |
|                  | Chamarajanagar | 32.2                      |
|                  | Chikballapur   | 31.3                      |
|                  | Dharwad        | 45.2                      |
|                  | Gadag          | 45.2                      |
|                  | Kodagu         | 30.4                      |
|                  | Kolar          | 31.1                      |
|                  | Raichur        | 39.8                      |
|                  | Shivamogga     | 29                        |
|                  | Uttar Kannad   | 29.6                      |
| Total            | 10             |                           |
| Kerala           | Kasaragod      | 25.3                      |
| Total            | 1              |                           |
| Madhya Pradesh   | Agar Malwa     | 40.3                      |

|             | Anuppur                | 24                           |
|-------------|------------------------|------------------------------|
|             | Balaghat               | 41.9                         |
|             | Betul                  | 30.8                         |
|             | Harda                  | 38.8                         |
|             | Hoshangabad            | 34.8                         |
|             | Mandla                 | 32.1                         |
|             | Narsinghpur            | 32                           |
|             | Rewa                   | 37                           |
|             | Sagar                  | 42.7                         |
|             | Satna                  | 49.4                         |
|             | Sehore                 | 21.9                         |
|             | Seoni                  | 23.5                         |
|             | Shahdol                | 44                           |
| Total       | 14                     |                              |
| Maharashtra | Akola                  | 31.8                         |
|             | Aurangabad             | 34.2                         |
|             | Bhandara               | 31.3                         |
|             | Latur                  | 43.2                         |
|             | Palghar                | 33                           |
|             | Raigad                 | 35.8                         |
|             | Thane                  | 40.8                         |
| Total       | 7                      |                              |
| Manipur     | Noney                  | NA (Not available in NFHS-5) |
|             | Prherzawl              | NA                           |
|             | Kamjong                | NA                           |
|             | Kakching               | NA                           |
|             | Kangpokpi              | NA                           |
|             | Churachandpur          | 25.1                         |
|             | Senapati               | 27.3                         |
|             | Tamenglong             | 27.1                         |
|             | Thoubal                | 31.5                         |
|             | Imphal West            | 15.6                         |
|             | Ukhrul                 | 27.1                         |
| Total       | 11                     |                              |
| Meghalaya   | East Garo Hills        | 39.7                         |
|             | North Garo Hills       | 35.6                         |
|             | South Garo Hills       | 29.8                         |
|             | South West Garo Hills  | 32.2                         |
|             | South West Khasi Hills | 51.4                         |
|             | West Garo Hills        | 39.5                         |
| Total       | 6                      |                              |
| Mizoram     | Aizwal                 | 25.3                         |

|              | Champhai    | 27.2   |
|--------------|-------------|--------|
| Total        | Mamit 3     | 26.4   |
| Nagaland     | Mokokchung  | 31.4   |
|              | Mon         | 35.5   |
|              | Peren       | 34.9   |
|              | Zunheboto   | 44     |
| Total        | 4           |        |
| NCT Of Delhi | Central     | 33.5   |
| NCT Of Delhi | North East  | 38.7   |
| NCT Of Delhi | South       | 33.4   |
| NCT Of Delhi | South East  | 21.7   |
| NCT Of Delhi | South West  | 27.1   |
| Total        | 5           |        |
| Orissa       | Anugul      | 28.1   |
| Orissa       | Baleshwar   | 24.4   |
| Orissa       | Bhadrak     | 32.3   |
| Orissa       | Cuttack     | 20.4   |
| Orissa       | Deogarh     | 28.4   |
| Orissa       | Dhenkanal   | 33.3   |
| Orissa       | Gajapati    | 43.4   |
| Orissa       | Ganjam      | 23.9   |
| Orissa       | Jajapur     | 25.5   |
| Orissa       | Jharsuguda  | 27.1   |
|              | Kalahandi   | 33     |
|              | Kandhamal   | 34.2   |
|              | Nuapada     | 43.1   |
|              | Sundargarh  | 32.9   |
| Total        | 14          |        |
| Puducherry   | Mahe        | 48.2   |
| Total        | 1           |        |
| Punjab       | Firozepur   | 30     |
|              | TaranTaran  | 23.8   |
|              | Moga        | 22     |
| Total        | 3           |        |
| Rajasthan    | Bhilwara    | 22.6   |
|              | Bikaner     | 22.8   |
|              | Bundi       | 30     |
|              | Ganganagar  | 24.5   |
|              | Hanumangarh | 24.2   |
|              | Jaisalmer   | 25.5   |
|              | Jhalawar    | 34     |

|               | Nagaur                  | 31.5   |
|---------------|-------------------------|--------|
|               | Sikar                   | 23.1   |
| Total         | 9                       |        |
| Sikkim        | East District           | 17.8   |
| Sikkim        | North Sikkim            | 31.8   |
|               | South District          | 24.8   |
| Total         | 3                       |        |
| Tamil Nadu    | Ramanathapuram          | 26.4   |
| Tamil Nadu    | Thiruvallur             | 18.1   |
| Tamil Nadu    | Tiruchirappalli         | 27.6   |
| Tamil Nadu    | Tirunelveli             | 29.4   |
| Tamil Nadu    | KannyaKumari            | 17.3   |
| Tamil Nadu    | Virudhunagar            | 29.2   |
| Total         | 6                       |        |
| Telangana     | JayashankarBhupalapally | 32.5   |
| Telangana     | JogulambaGadwal         | 49.7   |
| Telangana     | Kamareddy               | 33.4   |
| Telangana     | Karimnagar              | 30.3   |
| Telangana     | Khammam                 | 22.2   |
| Telangana     | KumuramBheem Asifabad   | 38.1   |
| Telangana     | Mancherial              | 25.9   |
| Telangana     | Medak                   | 36.4   |
| Telangana     | Nagarkurnool            | 35.1   |
| Telangana     | Nalgonda                | 31.7   |
| Telangana     | Nirmal                  | 31.7   |
| Telangana     | Nizamabad               | 30.5   |
| Telangana     | Sangareddy              | 32.9   |
| Telangana     | Siddipet                | 28.1   |
|               | Wanaparthy              | 40.4   |
|               | Warangal Urban          | 29.5   |
| Total         | 16                      |        |
| Tripura       | West Tripura            | 30.3   |
| Total         | 1                       |        |
| Uttar Pradesh | Amethi                  | 35.8   |
|               | Ballia                  | 43.8   |
|               | Deoria                  | 36.8   |
|               | Gautam Buddha Nagar     | 25.5   |
|               | Hapur                   | 30.2   |
|               | Lalitpur                | 46.6   |
|               | Mathura                 | 31.6   |
|               | Pratapgarh              | 35.5   |
|               | Saharanpur              | 28.8   |

|             | Sambhal          | 51.6              |
|-------------|------------------|-------------------|
|             | Shamli           | 28.6              |
| Total       | 11               |                   |
| Uttarakhand | Almora           | 26                |
|             | Champawat        | 24.9              |
|             | Nainital         | 23.2              |
|             | Pithoragarh      | 25.6              |
|             | RudraPrayag      | 25.2              |
|             | Tehri Garhwal    | 29.3              |
| Total       | 6                |                   |
|             | Alipurduar       | NA (newly formed) |
|             | Bankura          | 30.3              |
|             | Coochbehar       | 28.7              |
|             | Darjeeling       | 34.3              |
|             | DinajpurDakshin  | 31.9              |
|             | Hooghly          | 28.9              |
| West Bengal | Jalpaiguri       | 28.9              |
|             | Medinipur East   | 25.8              |
|             | Medinipur West   | 31.1              |
|             | Nadia            | 26.1              |
|             | PaschimBardhaman | 39.7              |
|             | PurbaBardhaman   | 32.7              |
| Total       | 12               |                   |
| Grand Total | 235              |                   |

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