Lok Sabha Question No. 379 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Nutritional Food for Women and Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Malvika Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *379

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## 'NUTRITIONAL FOOD FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN'

- *379. SMT. MALVIKA DEVI: Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state: (a) the steps taken by the Ministry to ensure nutritional food for children especially in the rural and tribal areas during their mid day meals; (b) whether  any  steps  are  being  taken  to  ensure  the  dietary  requirements  of pregnant and lactating mothers in rural and tribal areas to prevent malnutrition in young infants; and (c) if so, the details there of?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## Statement referred to in reply to Parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 379 to be answered on 20.12.2024 regarding 'Nutritional Food for Women and Children'asked by Shrimati Malvika Devi.

(a) to (c) 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. It is a Centrally Sponsored mission, where the responsibility for implementation and day-to-day execution of activities lies with the States and UTs. Mission is a universal self-selecting umbrella scheme that is being implemented across the country including rural and tribal areas.

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 mission, 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 centers.

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  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  March-April respectively. To give high importance to issues around anaemia, dedicated anaemia related themes have been undertaken by Ministry of Women & Child Development under  Poshan  Abhiyaan.  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.

Pradhan  Mantri  Poshan  Shakti  Nirman  (PM  POSHAN)  Scheme,  under  Ministry  of Education,  is  one  of  the  foremost  rights  based  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes implemented  in  partnership  with  States  and  UTs  providing  one  hot  cooked  and nutritious meal to the eligible children. This scheme is implemented across the country including rural and tribal areas and covers all children of Balvatika (just before class I) and  Classes  I-VIII  studying  in  Government  and  Government-Aided  Schools.  The objectives of the Scheme are to address two of the pressing problems for majority of children in India, viz. malnutrition and education by:

- i. Improving the nutritional status of children studying in Bal Vatika (just before class  I)  and  classes  I-VIII  in  Government  and  Government-Aided  Schools without any discrimination.
- ii. Encouraging  poor  children,  belonging  to  disadvantaged  sections,  to  attend school more regularly and help them concentrate on classroom activities.
- iii. Providing  nutritional  support  to  children  of  elementary  stage  in  drought  / disaster affected areas during summer vacation and disaster times.

The overall responsibility for smooth functioning of the scheme including providing hot cooked and nutritious meal to the eligible children lies with the State Governments and Union  Territory  Administrations.  The  Government  of  India  has  issued  detailed guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene to ensure serving of good quality meal under the Scheme to all the States/UTs. These guidelines are available on official website https://pmposhan.education.gov.in.

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