Lok Sabha Question No. 758 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-26
Subject: Malnutrition among Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 758

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2024

## 'MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN'

758.     SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

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

- (a) The steps taken by the Government to tackle the problem of malnutrition among children,
- (b) The financial assistance provided by the Government in this regard during the last three years, State-wise including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana, and
- (c) The  steps  taken  by  the  Government  during  the  last  three  years  to  provide nutritious diet to the children as per the international norms.

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) The Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0) seeks to address the challenge of malnutrition through improved nutrition content and delivery. A strategic shift has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for improved health, wellness and immunity through community engagement, outreach, behavioral change, and advocacy. 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 is 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  nutrition  norms  have  been  revised.  The  old nutrition norms were largely calorie-specific, however, the revised nutritional 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.

Only fortified rice is being supplied to AWCs to meet the requirement of micronutrients and control anaemia among the children. 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 centres 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  children  with  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.

The State/UT wise details of financial assistance provided by the Government during the  last  three  years,  including  Tamil  Nadu,  Kerala  and  Telangana  is  annexed  at Annexure I.

*****

Annexure I

ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  758  FOR  26.07.2024  REGARDING  'MALNUTRITION  AMONG CHILDREN' ASKED BY SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH.

## State/UT wise status of funds released under Mission Poshan 2.0 during the last three years:

| Name of the State/UT                 |   Funds released (Rs. In crore) |
|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS            |                           35.71 |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                       |                         2278.07 |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH                    |                          470.67 |
| ASSAM                                |                         5204.84 |
| BIHAR                                |                         5173.81 |
| CHANDIGARH                           |                           68.22 |
| CHHATTISGARH                         |                         1855.15 |
| DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI and DAMAN & DIU |                           27.1  |
| DELHI                                |                          477.69 |
| GOA                                  |                           39.49 |
| GUJARAT                              |                         2879.3  |
| HARYANA                              |                          594.07 |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                     |                          819.31 |
| JAMMU & KASHMIR                      |                         1415.63 |
| JHARKHAND                            |                         1448.19 |
| KARNATAKA                            |                         2682.54 |
| KERALA                               |                         1139.85 |
| LADAKH                               |                           53.1  |
| LAKSHADWEEP                          |                            5.43 |
| MADHYA PRADESH                       |                         3220.15 |
| MAHARASHTRA                          |                         5059.08 |
| MANIPUR                              |                          566.15 |
| MEGHALAYA                            |                          635.41 |
| MIZORAM                              |                          202.39 |
| NAGALAND                             |                          622.01 |
| ODISHA                               |                         2958.71 |
| PUDUCHERRY                           |                            7.37 |
| PUNJAB                               |                          766.7  |
| RAJASTHAN                            |                         2748.63 |
| SIKKIM                               |                           79.54 |
| TAMIL NADU                           |                         2302.98 |
| TELANGANA                            |                         1540.88 |
| TRIPURA                              |                          581.47 |
| UTTAR PRADESH                        |                         7798.11 |
| UTTARAKHAND                          |                         1067.74 |
| WEST BENGAL                          |                         3133.5  |