Lok Sabha Question No. 2228 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-15
Subject: Malnutrition
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2228

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2023

## MALNUTRITION

## 2228. SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL

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

- (a) whether  the  number  of  underweight,  malnourished/severely  malnourished children have increased in the country during the recent years and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) the estimated number of underweight, malnourished and severely malnourished children recorded during each of the last five years and till date;
- (c) whether the Government is complementing POSHAN Abhiyaan and POSHAN 2.0 to check malnourishment in the country and if so, the details and the salient features thereof along with the success achieved therein;
- (d) the  funds  allocated  and  utilized  under  the  said  schemes  since  inception, State/UT-wise and year-wise; and
- (e) whether the Government has subsumed supplementary nutritional programme with this abhiyaan and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to  (e)  No  sir,  the  indicators  for  malnutrition  like  underweight,  stunting  and wasting have shown a steady improvement in National Health Family Survey (NHFS) conducted by 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%, while Wasting has reduced from 21.0% to 19.3% and Underweight prevalence has reduced from 35.8% to 32.1%.

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.

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.

Under Mission Poshan 2.0, Supplementary nutrition is provided to beneficiaries 300 days in a year through the network of 13.97 lakh AWC located across the country for bridging the gap in the intake as compared to the recommended dietary intake. Only fortified rice is being supplied to AWCs to meet the requirement of micro nutrient and control anemia among women and children. Greater emphasis is being given on the use of millets for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal and Take Home rations (THR) at Anganwadi centres for Children below 6 years of age, Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers.

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.

The State/UT wise details of funds released under Mission Poshan 2.0 for the period from FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23 is at Annexure -I

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Annexure I

ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (d) of LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2228 FOR 15.12.2023 REGARDING 'MALNUTRITION' ASKED BY SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL, M.P.

State/UT wise and year wise details of funds released under Mission Poshan 2.0 for the period from FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23

(Rs in lakh)

| #   | State                           |          2020-21 |         2021-22 |          2022-23 |
|-----|---------------------------------|------------------|-----------------|------------------|
| 1   | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR               |   1625.46        |   1971.15       |    431.68        |
| 2   | ANDHRA PRADESH                  |  70182.1         |  74460.4        |  79210.3         |
| 3   | ARUNACHAL PRADESH               |   8229.7         |  17082.8        |  12934.2         |
| 4   | ASSAM                           | 110282           | 131990          | 161877           |
| 5   | BIHAR                           | 128898           | 157443          | 167871           |
| 6   | CHANDIGARH                      |   1334.73        |   1532.18       |   3309.9         |
| 7   | CHHATTISGARH                    |  51394.8         |  60673.2        |  58909.3         |
| 8   | D. & NAGAR HAVELI & DAMAN & DIU |    901.56        |    933.39       |    579.95        |
| 9   | DELHI                           |  10270.1         |  13310.7        |  18277           |
| 10  | GOA                             |   2044.28        |   1083.56       |   1452.6         |
| 11  | GUJARAT                         |  62303.8         |  83985.6        |  90097.2         |
| 12  | HARYANA                         |  18529.1         |  17303.3        |  19521.4         |
| 13  | HIMACHAL PRADESH                |  25552.1         |  24798.7        |  26051           |
| 14  | JAMMU & KASHMIR                 |  29417.3         |  40573.7        |  47746.6         |
| 15  | JHARKHAND                       |  45817.8         |  35297.8        |  35733.9         |
| 16  | KARNATAKA                       |  69716.6         | 100370          |  75118.4         |
| 17  | KERALA                          |  34672.8         |  38822.7        |  44213.5         |
| 18  | LADAKH                          |   2458.97        |   1469.55       |   1878.52        |
| 19  | LAKSHADWEEP                     |    304.44        |    210.52       |     44.18        |
| 20  | MADHYA PRADESH                  | 123806           | 108547          |  98501.9         |
| 21  | MAHARASHTRA                     | 120599           | 171339          | 163377           |
| 22  | MANIPUR                         |  17576.7         |  22892          |  11962.3         |
| 23  | MEGHALAYA                       |  17791.5         |  17332.8        |  19170.3         |
| 24  | MIZORAM                         |   7395.12        |   5931.57       |   4216.61        |
| 25  | NAGALAND                        |  16659.2         |  15980.3        |  19633.3         |
| 26  | ODISHA                          |  84681.9         | 106598          |  87507           |
| 27  | PUDUCHERRY                      |    438.08        |    277.8        |      0.75        |
| 28  | PUNJAB                          |  17033.7         |  38351.7        |   7473.96        |
| 29  | RAJASTHAN                       |  63184.6         |  68264.6        |  95301.8         |
| 30  | SIKKIM                          |   2450.44        |   2573.06       |   1968.56        |
| 31  | TAMIL NADU                      |  61072.4         |  65538.1        |  74845           |
| 32  | TELANGANA                       |  40531.9         |  48232.7        |  51474           |
| 33  | TRIPURA                         |  15415.5         |  18672.5        |  14746.8         |
| 34  | UTTAR PRADESH                   | 201749           | 240755          | 268122           |
| 35  | UTTARAKHAND                     |  32791.6         |  35365.2        |  34877.6         |
| 36  | WEST BENGAL                     | 106549           |  66835.2        | 120032           |
|     | Total                           |      1.60366e+06 |      1.8368e+06 |      1.91847e+06 |