Lok Sabha Question No. 4672 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Schemes to Tackle Malnutrition
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dr. M K Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION. 4672

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026

## SCHEMES TO TACKLE MALNUTRITION

## 4672.  DR. M K VISHNU PRASAD:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  schemes/programmes  being  implemented  to  tackle  malnutrition among women and children in the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu;
- (b) the details of the budget allocation made for the said programmes during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise including in the said State;
- (c) the details of the malnutrition rate in the said State during the said period; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  concrete  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  tackle malnutrition in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) to (d): Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0) is the ongoing scheme under the Ministry of Women and Child Development to strengthen Nutrition and address the challenge of malnutrition in the country.

Under this Mission, Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent girls have  been  subsumed.  It  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  scheme  where  the  responsibility  for implementation  of  various  activities  lies  with  the  States  and  UTs.  This  Mission  includes beneficiaries; Children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls  (age  14-18  years  in  Aspirational  Districts  and  North-Eastern  region)  in  the  country including the state of Tamil Nadu. The status of nutritional indicators in the State of Tamil Nadu is available at the link: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics

Under Mission Poshan 2.0 a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for improved  health,  wellness  and  immunity  through  activities  like  community  engagement, outreach,  behavioural  change  and  advocacy.  It  focuses  on  Maternal  Nutrition,  Infant  and Young Child Feeding practices, treatment of Severe  Acute Malnutrition (SAM)/ Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce prevalence of wasting, stunting, anaemia and underweight.

Further, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls  in  accordance  with  the  nutrition  norms contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act, 2013. 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).  Extra  Supplementary  Nutrition  is  provided  to  Severely Acutely Malnourished (SAM) children as per NFSA.

Also, Ministry of Women & Child Development and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare have jointly released the Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in Children to prevent and treat  severely  acute  malnutrition  in  children  and  for  reducing  associated  morbidity  and mortality. The community-based approach involves timely detection and screening of children with  severe  acute  malnutrition  in  the  community,  management  for  those  without  medical complications with wholesome, local nutritious foods at home and supportive medical care. The protocol includes an appetite test and screening process for children aged 6 months to 6 years  who  are  severely  acute  malnourished  (SAM)  or  severely  underweight  (SUW).  Postscreening,  such  children  are  referred  to  Nutrition  Rehabilitation  Centers  (NRC)  or  hospital facilities for further care.

To encourage diet-diversity and consumption of wholesome local produce, Poshan Vatikas have been developed at AWCs. Poshan Vatikas help to meet the important dietary diversity gap by providing different fruits, nuts, herbs, medicinal plants and vegetables round the year.

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.  State  and  UTs  are  conducting  and reporting regular sensitisation activities under Jan Andolans during Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada celebrated in the months of September and March-April respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in changing nutritional practices and all Anganwadi workers are required to conduct two Community Based Events every month. A total of 9.8 crore CBEs have been conducted from 2018 to February 2026 and more than 150 crore Jan Andolan activities have been conducted since 2018 through 15 Jan Andolans.

The details of the budget allocation made for the said programme during the last three years and the current year, State and UT-wise are placed in the Annexure.

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Annexure (Rupee in crores)

|   S. No. | State and UT              |   Funds released (2022-23) |   Funds released (2023-24) |   Funds released (2024-25) |   Funds released (2025-26) as on date 17.03.2026 |
|----------|---------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |                       3.85 |                      12.15 |                       9.63 |                                             8.1  |
|        2 | Andhra Pradesh            |                     827.79 |                     705.68 |                     645.73 |                                           522.97 |
|        3 | Arunachal Pradesh         |                     137.78 |                     162.06 |                     102.61 |                                           109.67 |
|        4 | Assam                     |                    1651.63 |                    2233.31 |                    2482.34 |                                          1025.07 |
|        5 | Bihar                     |                    1740.09 |                    1859.29 |                    2262.92 |                                           878.72 |
|        6 | Chandigarh                |                      33.1  |                      19.79 |                      14.56 |                                             9.87 |
|        7 | Chhattisgarh              |                     668.96 |                     579.46 |                     733.3  |                                           392.39 |
|        8 | DNH&DD                    |                       5.8  |                      11.97 |                       9.13 |                                           144.61 |
|        9 | Delhi                     |                     182.77 |                     161.81 |                     160.41 |                                             5.92 |
|       10 | Goa                       |                      14.71 |                      13.95 |                      13.44 |                                            12.62 |
|       11 | Gujarat                   |                     912.64 |                    1126.8  |                     601.32 |                                           337.53 |
|       12 | Haryana                   |                     195.25 |                     225.78 |                     232.69 |                                            43.38 |
|       13 | Himachal Pradesh          |                     270.24 |                     301.09 |                     313.07 |                                           257.02 |
|       14 | Jammu &Kashmir            |                     479.01 |                     530.88 |                     662.79 |                                           282.87 |
|       15 | Jharkhand                 |                     430.91 |                     664.3  |                     496.95 |                                           386.01 |
|       16 | Karnataka                 |                     765.87 |                     912.96 |                     886.85 |                                           620.4  |
|       17 | Kerala                    |                     444.98 |                     306.64 |                     435.74 |                                           176.06 |
|       18 | Ladakh                    |                      18.79 |                      19.62 |                      18.89 |                                            16.41 |
|       19 | Lakshadweep               |                       0.44 |                       2.88 |                       1.35 |                                             0.82 |
|       20 | Madhya Pradesh            |                    1011.57 |                    1123.11 |                    1144.54 |                                           791.73 |
|       21 | Maharashtra               |                    1646.17 |                    1699.52 |                    1368.84 |                                          1060.79 |
|       22 | Manipur                   |                     135.95 |                     201.28 |                     342.87 |                                           133.15 |
|       23 | Meghalaya                 |                     192.39 |                     269.69 |                     137.93 |                                            81.4  |
|       24 | Mizoram                   |                      42.81 |                     100.27 |                      55.29 |                                            47.93 |
|       25 | Nagaland                  |                     199.3  |                     262.91 |                     147.01 |                                            88.88 |
|       26 | Odisha                    |                     923.92 |                     968.8  |                     948.16 |                                           789.82 |
|       27 | Puducherry                |                       0.12 |                       4.48 |                       3.68 |                                             3.9  |
|       28 | Punjab                    |                      75.31 |                     307.87 |                     265.48 |                                           133.15 |
|       29 | Rajasthan                 |                     974.02 |                    1091.96 |                     741.85 |                                           722.33 |
|       30 | Sikkim                    |                      20.33 |                      33.49 |                      18.07 |                                             9    |
|       31 | Tamil Nadu                |                     766.81 |                     880.79 |                     638.47 |                                           508.87 |
|       32 | Telangana                 |                     550.69 |                     507.87 |                     430.76 |                                           117.7  |
|       33 | Tripura                   |                     150.52 |                     244.22 |                     153.41 |                                           133.75 |
|       34 | Uttar Pradesh             |                    2721.87 |                    2668.69 |                    2694.62 |                                          1944.79 |
|       35 | Uttarakhand               |                     425.84 |                     288.24 |                     216.33 |                                           223.3  |
|       36 | West Bengal               |                    1227.59 |                    1237.56 |                    1513.8  |                                          1029.28 |

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