Lok Sabha Question No. 4182 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Nutrition Programs and Saksham Anganwadi
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri P V Midhun Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4182

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## NUTRITION PROGRAMS AND SAKSHAM ANGANWADI

## 4182.  SHRI P V MIDHUN REDDY:

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

- (a) the reasons for the inadequate budget increases for nutrition-related programs such as Saksham Anganwadi and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, though 50% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition in the country; and
- (b) the  plans  of  the  Government  to  address  above  issue  and  improve  nutrition outcomes for children in Andhra Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) and (b) Under the 15th Finance Commission, various components like Anganwadi services,  Poshan  Abhiyaan  and  Scheme  for  Adolescent  girls  (of  14-18  years  in Aspirational  Districts  and  North-Eastern  region)  have  been  subsumed  under  the umbrella  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  (Mission  Poshan  2.0)  to address  the  challenge  of  malnutrition.  This  mission  is  a  universal  self-selecting umbrella scheme available to all the eligible beneficiaries who enroll at the Anganwadi Centers  (AWCs).  It  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  mission,  where  the  responsibility  for implementation lies with the States/UTs including the State of Andhra Pradesh.

Nutrition goes beyond mere eating of food; it requires proper digestion, absorption, and metabolism which are influenced by factors like sanitation, education and access to  safe  drinking  water.  As  malnutrition  requires  a  multi-sectoral  approach  involving dimensions of food, health, water, sanitation and education, it is crucial to effectively address the issue of malnutrition. The challenge of malnutrition is being addressed under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  by  establishing  cross  cutting convergence amongst 18 Ministries/Departments.

Under Mission Poshan 2.0 a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and  for  improved  health,  wellness  and  immunity  through  activities  like  community engagement,  outreach,  behavioral  change,  and  advocacy.  It  focuses  on  Maternal Nutrition,  Infant  and  Young  Child  Feeding  Norms,  treatment  of  Severe  Acute

Malnutrition (SAM)/ Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce prevalence of wasting, stunting, anaemia and being underweight.

Under this scheme, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years),  Pregnant  Women,  Lactating  Mothers  and  Adolescent  Girls  to  beat  the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition by adopting a life cycle approach. Supplementary nutrition is provided in accordance with the nutrition norms contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act. These norms have been revised and upgraded last year. The old norms were largely calorie-specific; however, the revised norms are more comprehensive and balanced in terms of both quantity and quality of supplementary nutrition based on the principles of diet diversity that provides quality protein, healthy fats and micronutrients.

Fortified rice is being supplied to AWCs to meet the requirement of micro-nutrients and to control anaemia among women and children. Greater emphasis is being laid on the use of millets for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal at least once a week and Take Home ration at Anganwadi centres.

Ministries of Women & Child Development and Health & Family Welfare have jointly released the protocol for Community Management of Malnutrition (CMAM) to prevent and treat severely acute malnutrition in children and for reducing associated morbidity and mortality.

Under this Mission, one of the major activities undertaken is Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy leading to a Jan Andolan to educate people on nutritional aspects. State and UTs are conducting and reporting regular sensitisation activities under  community  engagement  programmes  during  Poshan  Maahs  and  Poshan Pakhwadas  celebrated  in  the  months  of  September  and  March-April  respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in changing nutritional  practices  and  all  Anganwadi  workers  are  required  to  conduct  two Community Based Events every month.

Various rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare since 1992-93 have shown improvement in malnutrition indicators in children across India. Details of these indicators for children since NFHS1 to NFHS-5 are given below:

| NFHS Survey         |   Stunting% |   Underweight |   %Wasting% |
|---------------------|-------------|---------------|-------------|
| NFHS-1 (1992-93)*   |        52   |          53.4 |        17.5 |
| NFHS-2 (1998-99)**  |        45.5 |          47   |        15.5 |
| NFHS-3 (2005-6)***  |        48   |          42.5 |        19.8 |
| NFHS-4 (2015-16)*** |        38.4 |          35.8 |        21   |
| NFHS-5 (2019-21)*** |        35.5 |          32.1 |        19.3 |

* Under 4 years

** Under 3 years

## *** Under 5 years

The above table gives a representative picture of malnutrition indicators among all children of 0-3 years, 0-4 years and 0-5 years age at the relevant time.

The projected population of all children up to 5 years in India for the year 2021 is 13.75  crores  approximately  (source:  Population  Projections  for  India  and  States 2011-2036,  National  Commission  on  Population,  Ministry  of  Health  &  Family Welfare).  However,  only  7.54  crores  children  up  to  5  years  are  enrolled  in Anganwadis and registered on Poshan Tracker of the Ministry of Women & Child Development  as  per  the  October  2024  data.  7.31  crores  of  these  children  were measured on growth parameters of height and weight. 38.9% of these children have been found to be stunted, 17% children have been found to be underweight and 5.2% wasted.

Further, the projected population of all children in India up to 6 years for the year 2021  is  approximately  16.1  crores  (source:  Population  Projections  for  India  and States 2011-2036, National Commission on Population, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare). As per the October 2024 data of Poshan Tracker, 8.82 crores children (0-6 years) are enrolled in Anganwadis out of whom 8.55 crores were measured on growth parameters of height and weight. 37% of these children (0-6 years) have been found to be stunted and 17% children (0-6 years) have been found to be underweight.

The  analysis  of  the  above  NFHS  data  and  the  Poshan  Tracker  data  shows improvement in malnutrition indicators in children across India.

As  per  NFHS-5,  the  malnutrition  indicators  of  the  children  (0-5  years)  in  Andhra Pradesh: Stunting - 31.2%, Wasting - 16.1% and Underweight - 29.6%. Whereas as  per  Poshan  Tracker  data  for  the  month  of  October  2024,  Stunting  is  22.6%, Wasting - 5.3% and Underweight - 10.8%. The analysis of the above NFHS data and  the  Poshan  Tracker  data  shows  improvement  in  malnutrition  indicators  in children in Andhra Pradesh.

Grants  are  being  released  based  on  inputs  from  States/UTs  including  the  funds requirement  and  the  actual  expenditure  incurred  by  States,  their  Statement  of Expenditure (SoE), Utilization Certificates (UCs) and Single Nodal Account (SNA) compliances as per guidelines. Details of funds released under Mission Poshan 2.0, during the FY 2021-22 to FY 2023-24 are as follows:

## Amount (in ₹ crore)

| 2021-22         | 2022-23         | 2023-24         |
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
| 18,368.01 crore | 19,849.82 crore | 21,741.17 crore |

PM POSHAN Scheme, under Ministry of Education,  is  one  of  the  foremost  rights based Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs for providing one hot cooked and nutritious meal to children studying in Bal vatika (pre-primary  class)  and  classes  I  to  VIII  of  Government  and  Government-aided schools on all  school-working  days.  The  National  Food Security  Act,  2013,  Rules,

Guidelines and Instructions issued under the PM POSHAN Scheme from time to time, provides that every child attending an eligible institution is to be covered under the scheme and shall be served hot cooked nutritious meal or provided with Food Security Allowance,  as  applicable,  on  all  school  days.  The  funds  are  released  as  central assistance to cover children attending the school on all working days. Every year, Government  of  India  has  enhanced  the  Budget  Estimate  (BE)  for  this  scheme. Though,  PM  POSHAN  is  a  centrally  sponsored  scheme,  the  Central  Government provides 100% cost of foodgrains including subsidy per annum through Department of Food & Public Distribution, 100% transportation cost of foodgrains from FCI depot to schools and 100% funds for Management Monitoring and Evaluation (MME).

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