Lok Sabha Question No. 2122 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-10
Subject: Increase in Malnutrition during Corona Period
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Deepak Baij

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2122

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2021

## INCREASE IN MALNUTRITION DURING CORONA PERIOD

## 2122   SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a)     whether malnutrition among children has increased during Corona period, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the amount spent under various schemes to eradicate malnutrition during the last three years along with the names of these schemes, scheme-wise;
- (c) whether children could not get mid-day meal due to closure of schools and as such malnutrition increased, if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (d) the extent to which the benefit of schemes being run by the Government to eradicate malnutrition has been denied to the beneficiaries due to corruption and connivance of officers and staff?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d)    To  ensure  continuous  nutritional  support  to  the  beneficiaries,  the Anganwadi  Workers and Helpers distributed Supplementary Nutrition at the doorsteps  of  beneficiaries  once  in  15  days  during  Covid-19  as  all  Anganwadi Centres  across  the  country  were  closed  to  limit  the  impact  of  the  pandemic.  In addition, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers also assisted the local administration in community surveillance, creating awareness as well as other work assigned to them from time to time.

Government  has  accorded  high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing  several  schemes  like  Anganwadi  Services,  Scheme  for  Adolescent Girls  and  Pradhan  Mantri  Matru  Vandana  Yojana  (PMMVY)  under  the  Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme as direct targeted interventions to address the problem of malnutrition in the country.

Details of funds spent under POSHAN Abhiyaan and ICDS Scheme from FY 201819 to FY 2020-21.

## Amount in ₹ lakhs

| Total Central Funds released from FY 2018-19 to FY 2020-21   | Total Central Funds released from FY 2018-19 to FY 2020-21   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| POSHAN Abhiyaan                                              | ICDS scheme                                                  |
| 4,66,824.8                                                   | 26,10,031.55                                                 |

The schools remain closed for the major part of 2020-21 in most of the States as a precautionary measure to contain the spreading of Corona virus among the children. Keeping in view the legal entitlements of children under National Food Security Act (NFSA),2013 and directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, the Department of School Education & Literacy, issued the following advisories to States and UTs to provide Food Security Allowance, comprising of food grains, dry ration of pulses, oil etc. (equivalent to cooking  cost)  to enable  children to meet  their nutritional requirement in order to safe guard their immunity: -

-  Advisory on provision of Food Security Allowance (FSA) comprising of food grains and cooking cost during closure of schools was issued on 20th March, 2021.
-  Advisory along with guidelines for providing FSA even during summer vacations as a one-time special measure considering the extraordinary circumstances was issued on 29th April, 2020.
-  Advisory on continued provision of FSA comprising of food grains and pulses, oil etc. (equivalent to cooking cost) till the time schools are open was issued on 31st July, 2020.

Government  of  India  fully  supported  the  States  and  UTs  in  providing  the  Food Security Allowance and released Rs. 12882.11 crore to States and UTs as central assistance  as  per  the  extant  sharing  pattern.  Further,  34.45  lakh  MT  food  grains were  allocated  to  States  and  UTs.  In  addition  to  this,  States  and  UTs  have  also provided their minimum mandatory share of about Rs. 5826.96 crore. About, 11.80 crore children have benefited under the scheme studying in 11.20 lakh school during 2020-21.

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