Lok Sabha Question No. 261 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-21
Subject: Objectives of Poshan Abhiyaan
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Mahesh Sahoo, Jagannath Sarkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 261

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2023

## OBJECTIVES OF POSHAN ABHIYAAN

- 261     SHRI MAHESH SAHOO: SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has been able to achieve the objectives of Poshan Abhiyaan in Odisha and West Bengal, If so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) the number of Anganwadi Centres in Odisha and West Bengal wherein Poshan scheme is being implemented, district-wise; and
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any study on the results of this scheme in Odisha and West Bengal, if so, the details and outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) The objective of   POSHAN Abhiyaan is to address challenges of malnutrition and contribute to India's human capital development by using effective strategies to address nutritional deficiencies and improve the nutritional & health status of children from 0-6 years, Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time bound manner. A total of 43.87 lakh beneficiaries from State of Odisha and 88.34 lakh beneficiaries from West Bengal including pregnant women, lactating mothers, children under 6 years of age and Adolescent girls are registered under Mission Poshan 2.0, which  includes  Anganwadi  Services,  Scheme  for  Adolescent  Girls  and  Poshan Abhiyan.

The estimated number of underweight, malnourished and severely malnourished children under 5 years of age is obtained under National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. As per the recent 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%,  Wasting  has  reduced  from  21.0%  to  19.3%  and  Underweight prevalence  has  reduced  from  35.8%  to  32.1%. As  per  data  recorded  in  Poshan Tracker,  ICT  application  for  Mission  Poshan  2.0,  close  to  7  crore  children  were measured in the country in the month of June itself, of which, 7% were SAM and 19% underweight, which is significantly lower than NFHS indicators.

In the state of Odisha, as per Poshan Tracker, wasting in the month of June 2023 was at 3% and underweight at 15% in 29.6 lakh children measured during the month (compared to 18.1% and 29.7% respectively as per NFHS-5). In the state of West Bengal, as per Poshan Tracker, wasting in the month of June 2023 was at 8% and underweight at 14% in 61.91 lakh children measured during the month (compared to 20.3% and 32.2% respectively as per NFHS-5).

The  details  of  district  wise  number  of  AWC  in  Odisha  and  West  Bengal

(b) registered in Poshan Tracker, is at Annexure I .

- (c) NITI Aayog was mandated to conduct monitoring and evaluation periodically to assess the progress and impact of the programme, nationally. A sectoral evaluation of POSHAN Abhiyaan, among other Centrally Sponsored Schemes, was conducted by Development Monitoring & Evaluation Office (DMEO) under NITI Aayog for impact evaluation of POSHAN Abhiyaan. The performances of Poshan Abhiyan was found Satisfactory in the categories of Relevance, Sustainability and Equity

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## Annexure I

| State         | District Name          | Operational AWC   |
|---------------|------------------------|-------------------|
| Odisha        | Angul                  | 1684              |
| Odisha        | BARGARH                | 2919              |
| Odisha        | Baleshwar              | 4220              |
| Odisha        | Bhadrak                | 2435              |
| Odisha        | Bolangir               | 2775              |
| Odisha        | Boudh                  | 727               |
| Odisha        | Cuttack                | 3318              |
| Odisha        | Deogarh                | 798               |
| Odisha        | Dhenkanal              | 2220              |
| Odisha        | Gajapati               | 2436              |
| Odisha        | Ganjam                 | 5161              |
| Odisha        | Jagatsinghpur          | 1840              |
| Odisha        | Jajapur                | 2826              |
| Odisha        | Jharsuguda             | 967               |
| Odisha        | KALAHANDI              | 2362              |
| Odisha        | KENDRAPARA             | 2147              |
| Odisha        | KHORDHA                | 2554              |
| Odisha        | Kandhamal              | 2197              |
| Odisha        | Keonjhar               | 3352              |
| Odisha        | Koraput                | 3399              |
| Odisha        | MALKANGIRI             | 1324              |
| Odisha Odisha | MAYURBHANJ Nabarangpur | 5153 2331         |
| Odisha        | Nayagarh               | 1584              |
| Odisha        | Nuapada                | 1406              |
| Odisha        | Puri                   | 2599              |
| Odisha        | RAYAGADA               | 2063              |
| Odisha        | SUBARNAPUR             | 1556              |
| Odisha        | Sambalpur              | 1886              |
| Odisha        | Sundergarh             | 3918              |
| West Bengal   | 24 Paraganas North     | 10428             |
| West Bengal   | Alipurduar             | 3198              |
| West Bengal   | BANKURA                | 5739              |
| West Bengal   | BIRBHUM                | 5188              |
| West Bengal   | COOCHBEHAR             | 5531              |
| West Bengal   | DARJEELING             | 3252              |
| West Bengal   | DINAJPUR DAKSHIN       | 4154              |
| West Bengal   | HOOGHLY                | 6708              |
| West Bengal   | Howrah                 | 4509              |
| West Bengal   | JALPAIGURI             | 3940              |
| West Bengal   | Jhargram               | 2478              |
| West Bengal   | Kalimpong              | 639               |
| West Bengal   | Kolkata                | 1529              |
| West Bengal   | MALDAH                 | 6399              |
| West Bengal   | MEDINIPUR WEST         | 6643              |
| West Bengal   | MURSHIDABAD            | 9033              |
| West Bengal   | NADIA                  | 6934              |
| West Bengal   | PASCHIM BARDHAMAN      | 2845              |
| West Bengal   | PURBA BARDHAMAN        | 6854              |
| West Bengal   | PURULIA                | 4945              |
| West Bengal   | Purba Medinipur        | 6343              |
| West Bengal   | Uttar Dinajpur         | 3787              |