Lok Sabha Question No. 2244 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-15
Subject: Anemic Women in Reproductive Age Group
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2244

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2023

## ANEMIC WOMEN REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP

## 2244    SHRI T.R. BAALU:

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

- (a) whether India accounts for almost a quarter of the stunted children worldwide and the country's share of anemic women in the reproductive age group is a substantial one-third of the global numbers;
- (b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (c) The measures taken/being taken by the Government keeping in view the fact that India's food policies have not succeeded in responding adequately to the growing nutrition needs of the people and meet the challenges of the changing times?

## ANSWER

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

( a ) to (c) The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Departments through  States/UTs  to  address  various  aspects  related  to  nutrition.  In  the  15th  FC, components of nutritional support for children below the age of 6 years, pregnant women and  lactating  mother,  Adolescent  Girls  (14  -  18  years);  Early  Childhood  Care  and Education [3-6 years]; Anganwadi infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi,  POSHAN  Abhiyaan  and  Scheme  for  Adolescent  Girls  have  been reorganised under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0). Mission Poshan 2.0 focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant  and Young Child Feeding Norms,  Treatment  of  MAM/SAM  and  Wellness  through  Ayush  practices  to  reduce wasting and under-weight prevalence besides stunting and anaemia.

The objectives of Poshan 2.0 are as follows:

- To contribute to human capital development of the country;
- Address challenges of malnutrition;
- Promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and well-being; and
- Address nutrition related deficiencies through key strategies.

Steps have been taken to improve nutritional quality and testing in accredited labs, strengthen delivery and leverage technology under Poshan Tracker to improve governance.  States/UTs  have  been  advised  to  promote  use  of  AYUSH  systems  for prevention of malnutrition and related diseases. A programme to support development of  Poshan  Vatikas  at  Anganwadi  Centres  to  meet  dietary  diversity  gap  leveraging traditional knowledge in nutritional practices has also been taken up.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) implements Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy to reduce anemia among six beneficiaries age group - children (6-59 months), children (5-9 years), adolescents (10-19 years), pregnant women, lactating women and in women of reproductive age group (15-49 years) in life cycle approach through implementation of six interventions via robust institutional mechanism. The key interventions  of  MoHFW  to  improve  maternal  and  child  health  including  nutritional deficiencies and anemia, inter alia , are Prophylactic Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation; deworming; intensified year-round Behaviour Change Communication  Campaign  for  improving  Iron and  Folic Acid Supplementation; encouraging increase in intake of iron-rich food through diet diversity/quantity/frequency and/or fortified foods with focus on harnessing locally available resources; testing of anaemia using digital methods and point of care treatment; addressing non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.

As per the National Family Health Survey 5 (2019-21) conducted by the Ministry of Health & family Welfare, the prevalence of stunted children under five years in the country is 38.4%. Moreover, 57.0% of all women age 15-49 years are anemic.

As per the data of Poshan Tracker for the month of November 2023, around 7.44 crore children under 6 years were measured, out of whom 37.51% were found to be stunted and 17.43% were found to be underweight and 6% children under 5 years were found to be wasted. The levels of underweight and wasting are much less than that projected by NFHS 5.

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