Lok Sabha Question No. 286 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Learn to Eat Well Programme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *286

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025

## LEARN TO EAT WELL PROGRAMME

- *286. SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:

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

- (a) Whether the Government has organized seminars and other discussions/meetings  on  various  topics/agendas  regarding  nutrition  for children  including  -  Learn  to  Eat  Well:  Bio-diverse  Diets  and  Youth  as Agents of Change a programme of UNEP, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) Whether it signals a global shift in thinking that food and nutrition education must go beyond counting calories/help school children make choices that are good for themselves and the planet; and
- (c) If so, the details of steps taken for providing balanced nutrition to children along with corrective steps being taken and funds sanctioned and spent in this regard?

## 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. 286 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025 REGARDING 'LEARN TO EAT WELL PROGRAMME'

(a) to (c): As per information available on the website of UNESCO, Learn to Eat Well: Biodiverse Diets and Youth as Agents of Change was a high-level segment organized by the UNESCO GEM Report, UNEP and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the sidelines of Nutrition for Growth Summit, France in March 2025. The occasion reportedly saw the launch of a new paper, Learn to Eat Well which advocates for a life-cycle approach to nutrition integrated into lifelong learning systems, in and through schools, covering professional development drives for  nutrition  and  health  workers,  and  empowering  farmers  and  researchers  to promote biodiversity in food production. (https://unescochairghe.org/2025/03/18/26-march-2025-education-for-nutrition-and-biodiversity/ )

The  Ministry  of  Women  &  Child  Development  (MWCD)  has  launched  Mission Poshan  2.0  for  reduction  in  malnutrition  and  for  improved  health,  wellness  and immunity  through  activities  like  community  engagement,  outreach,  behavioural change, and advocacy. Nutrition goes beyond mere eating of food; it requires proper digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients. This process is 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 in a convergent manner. It is being addressed under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 by establishing cross cutting convergence amongst 18 Ministries/Departments.

The Ministry conducts regular consultations/ meetings with States/UTs like Chintan Shivir, zonal meetings, APIP meetings etc. are held wherein discussions are held on various issues related to improving nutritional status of women and children. Further, to create awareness on healthy food and lifestyle choices, the ministry has taken the following steps:

- States/UTs have been advised to reduce the use of added sugar and salt in Supplementary Nutrition Program. It has been advised that refined sugar should not be used and the only jaggery may be used for sweetening, if needed. The use of jaggery may also be restricted to less than 5% of the total energy to avoid excessive intake of discretionary calories. It has also been advised that use of foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) should be avoided for all age and gender groups.
- States/UTs have also been advised to conduct targeted awareness activities to promote  healthy  lifestyle  and  dietary  practices  to  combat  obesity  and  noncommunicable diseases for officers, field functionaries, Anganwadi workers and community  at  large.  It  has  been  advised  that  these  efforts  should  focus  on reducing consumption of edible oils in daily diets, including reduction in intake of Saturated and trans-fats.
- To promote regional diet diversity, 6 region-wise diet charts were developed, viz., North, North-East, West, South, East and Central. The area-wise diet charts are uploaded for dissemination on Ministry's website in English and Hindi.
- Diet diversity is an important strategy for achieving nutritional outcomes.  Under Mission Poshan 2.0, diet diversity is promoted through consumption of locally grown  wholesome  foods.  An  important  approach  is  through  Poshan  Vatikas (Nutri gardens) where the benefits of locally grown and wholesome vegetables and fruits can be easily passed onto women and children.
- Further, during the 7th Poshan Pakhwada (8-22 April 2025), a dedicated theme 'Healthy Life-style to address Obesity in Children' was adopted and over 1.14 crore community based sensitization activities were reported by the States/UTs on the theme.
- Under  this  Mission,  one  of  the  major  activities  undertaken  is  Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects as  adoption  of  good  nutrition  habit  requires  sustained  efforts  for  behavioural change. Community-Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in  changing  nutritional  practices,  and  all  Anganwadi  workers  are  required  to conduct two CBEs every month. Under Jan Andolan, Poshan Pakhwada and Rashtriya Poshan Maah are celebrated annually in March-April and September respectively,  since  2018.  So  far,  a  total  of  7  Poshan  Maah  and  7  Poshan Pakhwada have been conducted. The States/ UTs have reported more than 140 crore outreach activities around various thematic areas including importance of maternal nutrition, appropriate techniques of breastfeeding, importance of timely initiation of complimentary feeding, first 1000 days of life, poshan ke panch sutra, anemia, tribal sensitisation, millet promotion, environment protection, ECCE etc., in coordination with more than 18 partner ministries/ departments.
- 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  in  January 2023. 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 for quality  protein,  healthy  fats  and  micronutrients  (Calcium,  Zinc,  Iron,  Dietary Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin-B6 and Vitamin B-12). Fortified rice is  supplied to AWCs to meet the requirement of micro-nutrients and to control anaemia among women and children. Greater emphasis is laid on the use of millets at least once a week for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal and Take-Home ration at Anganwadi centers.
- Poshan Tracker Application also offers counselling videos on key behaviour and services  which  help  disseminate  messages  on  birth  preparedness,  delivery, post-natal care, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding.

Details of status of funds released to States and UTs under Saksham Anganwadi and Mission Poshan 2.0 are placed at Annexure .

## ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA QUESTION NO. 286 FOR 08.08.2025 REGARDING 'LEARN TO EAT WELL PROGRAMME'

Details of fund released under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 in FY 24-25 are as follows:

| S. No.   | Name of the State                    | 2024-25                  |
|----------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| S. No.   | Name of the State                    | Funds released In Crores |
| 1        | Andaman and Nicobar Islands          | 9.63                     |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh                       | 645.73                   |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh                    | 102.61                   |
| 4        | Assam                                | 2482.34                  |
| 5        | Bihar                                | 2262.92                  |
| 6        | Chandigarh                           | 14.56                    |
| 7        | Chhattisgarh                         | 733.3                    |
| 8        | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 9.13                     |
| 9        | Delhi                                | 160.41                   |
| 10       | Goa                                  | 13.44                    |
| 11       | Gujarat                              | 601.32                   |
| 12       | Haryana                              | 232.69                   |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh                     | 313.07                   |
| 14       | Jammu & Kashmir                      | 662.79                   |
| 15       | Jharkhand                            | 496.95                   |
| 16       | Karnataka                            | 886.85                   |
| 17       | Kerala                               | 435.74                   |
| 18       | Ladakh                               | 18.89                    |
| 19       | Lakshadweep                          | 1.35                     |
| 20       | Madhya Pradesh                       | 1144.54                  |
| 21       | Maharashtra                          | 1368.84                  |
| 22       | Manipur                              | 342.87                   |
| 23       | Meghalaya                            | 137.93                   |
| 24       | Mizoram                              | 55.29                    |
| 25       | Nagaland                             | 147.01                   |
| 26       | Odisha                               | 948.16                   |
| 27       | Puducherry                           | 3.68                     |
| 28       | Punjab                               | 265.48                   |
| 29       | Rajasthan                            | 741.85                   |
| 30       | Sikkim                               | 18.07                    |
| 31       | Tamil Nadu                           | 638.47                   |
| 32       | Telangana                            | 430.76                   |
| 33       | Tripura                              | 153.41                   |
| 34       | Uttar Pradesh                        | 2694.62                  |
| 35       | Uttarakhand                          | 216.33                   |
| 36       | West Bengal                          | 1513.8                   |
| Total    | Total                                | 20904.83                 |

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