Lok Sabha Question No. 1934 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-12
Subject: Policy for Child Nutirition
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Basanta Kumar Panda

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1934 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH FEBRUARY, 2021

## POLICY FOR CHILD NUT IRITION

## 1934.SHRI BASANTA KU MAR PANDA:

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

(a) whether the Government has been implementing child nutrition policies/schemes in schools and communities to ensure access of children to the healthy and affordable food;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to start a nationwide awareness campaign for improving the health of children while empowering the parents and the care -takers by informing them of healthy food alternatives; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b):  Nutrition lies in the domain of Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD including  its  implementation  and  policy.  Wi th  focus  on  nutrition,  the  Government  is implementing Anganwadi Services under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which is implemented by the States/U with the objectives to improve the nu tritional and health status of children in the age -group 0 - 6 years; lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of th reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout; achieve e co- ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote ch development; and to enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal heal nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health educ tion.

Under  the  Scheme  six  services  namely  Supplementary  Nutrition,  Health  &  Nutritio Education,  Pre - school  Education,  Immunization,  Referral  Services  and  Health  Check - up  are provided  at  the  Anganwadi  Centres (AWCs).  Supplementary  Nutrition  is  provided  to  the different categories of beneficiaries, as per the details given below:

Child

|   S. No | Categories                                     | Type of meal or food as per the standards specified in Schedule II of the                                                                   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Children (Between 6 to 36 months)              | Take Home Ration as per Integrated Development Services guidelines in with the provisions of the Act                                        |
|       2 | Malnourished children (Between 6 to 36 months) | The same type of Take Home Ration as above food supplement of 800 calories and -20 25 grams of protein                                      |
|       3 | Children (Between 3 to 6                       | years) Morning snacks and hot cooked meal as Integrated Child Development Services norms                                                    |
|       4 | Malnourished children (Between 3 to 6          | years) Additional 300 calories of energy and 8 - 10 grams of protein in addition to the meal or food to children between three to six years |

Further, all children studying in  Classes, I -VIII  of  Government,  Government - Aided Schools,  Special    Training    Centres    including    Madarsas  and  Maqtabs,    suppo rted under Samagra Shiksha  are covered under Mid - Day  Meal Scheme (MDMS), a Centrally - Sponsored Scheme of Government of India.

Mid - Day Meal Guidelines  2006  envisages  that  the  cooked  mid - day    meal should provide    prescribed    nutritional  contents  thr ough    prescribed    amounts    of  food    articles  as mentioned  below:

| S. No.                                   | Items                                    | Primary                                  | Upper Primary                            |
|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day) | A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day) | A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day) | A) Nutritional Norms (Per child per day) |
| 1                                        | Calorie                                  | 450                                      | 700                                      |
| 2                                        | Protein                                  | 12 gms                                   | 20 gms                                   |
| B) Food Norms (Per child per day)        | B) Food Norms (Per child per day)        | B) Food Norms (Per child per day)        | B) Food Norms (Per child per day)        |
| 1                                        | Foodgrains                               | 100 gms                                  | 150 gms                                  |
| 2                                        | Pulses                                   | 20 gms                                   | 30 gms                                   |
| 3                                        | Vegetables                               | 50 gms                                   | 75 gms                                   |
| 4                                        | Oil and Fat                              | 5 gms                                    | 7.5 gms                                  |
| 5                                        | Salt and condiments                      | As per need                              | As per need                              |

In addition, with the aim to ensure safe and wholesome food for school children, Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified Food Safety and Standards (Safe food and  balanced  diets  for  children  in  school)  Regulations,  2020  delineating  what  is  heal children and what is not.

(c)  &  (d):      With  the  aim  to  create  awareness  about  nutrition  and  healthy  food  etc.  'R ashtriya POSHAN Maah' is celebrated across the country in the month of September. Similarly, 8 - 22 March is celebrated as POSHAN Pakhwada. The POSHAN Maah and Pakhwada witnessed wide participation  and  enthusiasm  from  convergent  Ministries,  States/UTs,  fiel d  functionaries, community groups, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and others.

Awareness generation activities such as 'Eat Right India' campaign are also undertaken with  the  objective  to  create  awareness  about  'Eating  Healthy'  'Eating  Safe'  and  'Eatin g Sustainably 'among school children and the community at large.