Lok Sabha Question No. 842 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-26
Subject: Research on Malnutrition
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti, Shri G M Harish Balayogi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 842

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2024

## 'RESEARCH ON MALNUTRITION'

## 842.    SHRI KRISHNA  PRASAD TENNETI SHRI G M HARISH BALAYOGI

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

- (a) Whether the Government has conducted any research/study on malnutrition and on its impact on women and children in the country;
- (b) If so, the details of the children (male and female) below the age of 18 years identified to be suffering from ailments caused by malnutrition over the last five years, State-wise especially in Andhra Pradesh;
- (c) The total number of women between the age of 18-65 years identified to be suffering  from  various  ailments  caused  due  to  malnutrition  during  the  said period, State-wise especially in Andhra Pradesh;
- (d) The details regarding the schemes/projects/initiatives put forward and implemented by the Government to tackle the issue of malnutrition in India over the last ten years; and
- (e) The total amount of funds allocated and utilised to implement such schemes State-wise especially in Andhra Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (c) A third party evaluation and impact assessment of Poshan Abhiyaan was conducted  by  NITI  Aayog  in  2020  and  found  its  relevance  satisfactory  towards tackling    malnutrition.

The  data  on  health  and  ailments  of  children  upto  18  years  and  of  women (reproductive  age  group)  is  being  maintained  by  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family Welfare under the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), conducted by the Ministry. The  report  of  NFHS-5  is  available  on  National  Family  Health  Survey  portal (http://rchiips.org/nfhs/ factsheet\_nfhs-5.shtml).

As per the report of NFHS-5 (2019-21), the nutrition indicators for children under 5 years have improved as compared with NFHS-4 (2015-16). Stunting has reduced from  38.4%  to  35.5%,  while  Wasting  has  reduced  from  21.0%  to  19.3%  and Underweight prevalence has reduced from 35.8% to 32.1%.

Moreover, as per the data of Poshan Tracker for the month of June 2024, around 8.57 crore children under 6 years were measured, out of whom 35% were found to be stunted and only 17% were found to be underweight and only 6% children under

5 years were found to be wasted. The levels of underweight and wasting in children as obtained from Poshan Tracker are much less than those projected by NFHS 5. (d)  In  2021,  under  15th  Finance  Commission,  Anganwadi  services,  Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent girls (14-18 years in Aspirational Districts and North-East region) were subsumed under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0).

Mission Poshan 2.0 aims to address the challenges of malnutrition in children (0-6 years), 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.  The Mission Poshan 2.0 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 wasting and underweight prevalence beside stunting and anaemia.

Supplementary nutrition norms are provided in accordance with the nutrition norms contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act. To address the challenge of malnutrition more effectively, these norms have been revised. The old nutrition 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 micronutrients. Greater emphasis is being given on the use of millets for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal  at  least  once  a  week  and  Take  Home  ration  (THR  -  not  raw  ration)  at Anganwadi centers for beneficiaries.

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

Under Mission Poshan 2.0, one of the major activities undertaken is Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy leading to Jan Andolan to educate the 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 MarchApril respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in changing nutrition practices and all Anganwadi workers are required to conduct two Community Based Events every month.

(e) The State/UT wise details of funds allocated and utilised under Mission Poshan 2.0 during the last three years including the State of Andhra Pradesh is at Annexure I.

******

ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 842 FOR 26.07.2024 REGARDING 'RESEARCH ON MALNUTRITION' ASKED BY Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti AND Shri G M Harish Balayogi.

State/UT wise details of funds allocated and utilised under Mission Poshan 2.0 during the last three years:

| STATES/UTs                           | Amount in ₹crores   | Amount in ₹crores   |
|--------------------------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| STATES/UTs                           | Funds released      | Funds utilised      |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands          | 35.71               | 17.25               |
| Andhra Pradesh                       | 2278.07             | 1471.36             |
| Arunachal Pradesh                    | 470.67              | 376.51              |
| Assam                                | 5204.84             | 3149.20             |
| Bihar                                | 5173.81             | 3194.62             |
| Chandigarh                           | 68.22               | 57.41               |
| Chattisgarh                          | 1855.15             | 1094.52             |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 27.10               | 15.36               |
| Delhi                                | 477.69              | 268.36              |
| Goa                                  | 39.49               | 29.75               |
| Gujarat                              | 2879.30             | 1310.23             |
| Haryana                              | 594.07              | 297.23              |
| Himachal Pradesh                     | 819.31              | 634.44              |
| Jammu & Kashmir                      | 1415.63             | 1120.80             |
| Jharkhand                            | 1448.19             | 779.34              |
| Karnataka                            | 2682.54             | 1870.26             |
| Kerala                               | 1139.85             | 723.41              |
| Ladakh                               | 53.10               | 33.46               |
| Lakshadweep                          | 5.43                | 3.17                |
| Madhya Pradesh                       | 3220.15             | 2094.50             |
| Maharashtra                          | 5059.08             | 3198.99             |
| Manipur                              | 566.15              | 345.02              |
| Meghalaya                            | 635.41              | 378.10              |
| Mizoram                              | 202.39              | 114.59              |
| Nagaland                             | 622.01              | 350.68              |
| Odisha                               | 2958.71             | 1756.16             |
| Puducherry                           | 7.37                | 12.81               |
| Punjab                               | 766.70              | 425.19              |
| Rajasthan                            | 2748.63             | 1707.81             |
| Sikkim                               | 79.54               | 48.68               |
| TamilNadu                            | 2302.98             | 1422.58             |
| Telangana                            | 1540.88             | 982.63              |
| Tripura                              | 581.47              | 358.20              |
| Uttar Pradesh                        | 7798.11             | 4964.55             |
| Uttarakhand                          | 1067.74             | 700.80              |
| West Bengal                          | 3133.50             | 2834.19             |