Lok Sabha Question No. 1035 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-03
Subject: Undernourishment in India
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sumalatha Ambareesh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1035 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3rd DECEMBER, 2021

## UNDERNOURISHMENT IN INDIA

## 1035.   SHRIMATI SUMALATHA AMBAREESH:

SHRI D.K.SURESH:

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

- (a) the number of malnutrition deaths in children and adults reported in the country during the last three years, year-wise and State/ UT wise;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of Food and Agriculture Report 2018 highlighting that India  houses  195.9  million  of  the  821  million  undernourished  people  in  the  world  which accounts for approximately 24% of the world's hungry population;
- (c) If so, the details thereof;
- (d) measures taken by the Government to prevent the increasing number of the undernourished people in the country; and
- (e) details  of  funds  earmarked  and  spend  to  check  the  undernourishment  in  the  country during the last three years, year-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)  to  (e):  Malnutrition  can  increase  risk  of  morbidity  and  mortality  by  reducing  resistance  to infections.

As per the Food and Agriculture Report, 2018 of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in 2015-17 the number of undernourished people in India is 195.9 million out of the 821 million undernourished people in the world.

Government has taken several measures 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 also been taken to improve nutritional quality and testing, strengthen  delivery  and  leverage  technology  to  improve  governance.  Government  has  advised States/UTs to ensure that the quality of supplementary nutrition conforms to prescribed standards laid  down  under  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2006  and  regulations  made  there  under.

States/UTs  have  also  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 centers 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. The details of  funds  released  and  utilized  from  FY  2018-19  to  2020-21  under  POSHAN  Abhiyaan  is  as under:

Amount in ₹ lakhs

|   Total Central Funds released from FY 2018- 19 to 2020-21 to |   Total Central Funds utilized from FY 2018-19 2020-21 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                        531279 |                                                 298556 |

Further, funds released and utilized under SNP of Anganwadi Services Scheme in the last three years:

| Sl. No.   | Financial Year   | Supplementary Nutrition Programme (Rs. in lakhs)   | Supplementary Nutrition Programme (Rs. in lakhs)   | Supplementary Nutrition Programme (Rs. in lakhs)   |
|-----------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | Financial Year   | APIP Approved                                      | Funds released                                     | Funds Utilized                                     |
| 1         | 2018-19          | 857631.86                                          | 847591.84                                          | 845569.20                                          |
| 2         | 2019-20          | 936812.41                                          | 866117.82                                          | 929452.26*                                         |
| 3         | 2020-21          | 1010636.08                                         | 896321.89                                          | 761759.20                                          |

(*  The  amount  utilized  includes  the  unspent  balance  available  with  the  States/UTs  of previous  F.Y.  and  in  case  of  excess  expenditure  incurred  by  the  State  Government,  it would be reimbursed in the next financial year)

Also, Government of India approved Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on "Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System" for a period of 3 years beginning in 201920.  Fifteen  (15)  State  Governments  namely  Andhra  Pradesh,  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh consented and identified their respective Districts (1 District Per State) for implementation of the Pilot Scheme with total outlay of Rs 174.64 Cr. Out of the 15 States - Ten (10) States namely - Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana have started distributing the fortified rice in their identified districts under the pilot scheme.

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