Lok Sabha Question No. 1449 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Achievements of Nutrition Mission
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 1449

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2023

## ACHIEVEMENTS OF NUTRITION MISSION

- 1449    SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

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

- (a) the details of the progress and achievements made under the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) in light of the targets set; and
- (b) the targets set for the State of Gujarat with reference to the National Nutrition Mission and the benefits achieved thereunder?

## ANSWER

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

(a) POSHAN Abhiyaan (erstwhile National Nutrition  Mission,  which  has  now  been integrated under Mission Poshan 2.0) was launched on 8 th  March 2018 with an aim to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children under 6 years, Adolescent Girls (1418 years), Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time bound manner by adopting a synergised and result-oriented approach.  The Abhiyaan has been rolled-out in all the 36 States and UTs. It covers all the districts within the country including 112 Aspirational Districts.

The Abhiyaan planned for interventions using technology-based monitoring, behavioural change and convergence. For enhanced monitoring, the following actions have been taken:

i.         For  the  first  time,  Anganwadi  Workers  (AWWs)  have  been  technology empowered  with  smartphones  (nearly  11  lakh),  ii.      To  promote  regular  growth measurement,  12.5  lakh  Growth  Measurement  Devices  have  been  procured  by States/UTs for Anganwadi Centres

Under  Poshan  Abhiyaan,  large  scale  and  continuous  behaviour  change communication has been carried out through, Jan Andolans (or mass movements for behaviour change) through annual Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada celebrations which have been institutionalised with over 60 crore activities carried out from September 2018  onwards.  Over  3.7  crore  Community  Based  Events  have  been  carried  out  for behaviour change in women, husbands and families

Poshan Tracker an IT application was rolled out on 1 st  March 2021 to monitor near real-time progress under Mission Poshan 2.0. Technology under the Poshan Tracker is being  leveraged  for  dynamic  identification  of  stunting,  wasting  and  underweight prevalence among children and last mile tracking of nutrition service delivery. Poshan Tracker enables near real-time monitoring on defined indicators

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 NFHS5  (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 June 2023, of which 7% were Wasted and 19% underweight, which is significantly lower than NFHS indicators.

- b. POSHAN Abhiyaan has been rolled out in all the districts of Gujarat. 100% of the Anganwadis  in  Gujarat  are  registered  on  Poshan  Tracker  application.  Around 38.63 lakh beneficiaries from Gujarat are registered on the application and 97.82% beneficiaries are Aadhar seeded.

In  the  State  of  Gujarat  in  June  2023,  99.5%  of  the  registered  children  were measured for nutrition status, of which 2.53% were found severely wasted and 22% were found underweight,  which is  significantly  lower  than  the  NFHS-5  indicators  of  severe wasting at 10.6% and underweight at  39.7%.

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