Lok Sabha Question No. 2165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-06
Subject: Morning Snacks in Supplementary Nutrition Programme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: BHOLA SINGH, A.P. JITHENDER REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2165

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.05.2016

## Morning Snacks in Supplementary Nutrition Programme

2165:  SHRI BHOLA SINGH,

## SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY:

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

- a)  whether  some  State/UTs  are  implementing  the  Supplementary  Nutrition  Programme  by providing  special  morning  snacks  and  hot  cooked  meals  to  children  between  3-6  years under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme;
- b)  if so, the details thereof including additional financial assistance  provided  to  such States/UTs, State/UT-wise;
- c)  whether  the  introduction  of  morning  snacks  under  the  said  programme  has  made  any impact on the health and improvement in nutritional status of the children;
- d) if so, the details thereof;
- e)  whether the Government is planning to expand the coverage of morning snacks to rest of the remaining States/UTs; and
- f) if so, the details thereof along with progress made in this regard so far ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

- (a & b)  Yes, Madam. All the States/UTs are implementing Supplementary Nutrition Programme.

The details of supplementary nutrition provided to beneficiaries are as under:

|   S. No. | Category                                     | Type of Food                                                                                                                                           |
|----------|----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Children (0-6 months)                        | Exclusive Breast feeding for first 6 months of life.                                                                                                   |
|        2 | Children (6-36 months)                       | Take Home Ration in the form that is palatable to the child. It could be given in the form of micro-nutrient fortified food and/or energy dense food . |
|        3 | Severely malnourished children (6-36 months) | Same type of food as above with food supplement of 800 calories of energy and 20-25 gms. of protein.                                                   |
|        4 | Children (3-6 years)                         | Morning snack in the form of milk/banana/seasonal fruits etc. and Hot cooked Meal.                                                                     |
|        5 | Severely malnourished children (3-6 years)   | Additional 300 calories of energy and 8-10 gms. of protein in the form of micro-nutrient fortified food and/or energy dense food .                     |
|        6 | Pregnant women and Nursing mothers           | Take Home Ration in the form of micro-nutrient fortified food and/or energy dense food .                                                               |

Financial  assistance  is  provided  to  States/UTs  for  Supplementary  Nutrition  Programme  under ICDS Scheme at the rate of 50:50 cost sharing ratio between Centre & States; 90:10 to 8 North Eastern States & 3 Himalayan States and 100% to UTs.

(c & d) According  to  National  Family  Health  Survey  (NFHS)-3  (2005-06)  carried  out  by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, 42.5% children under 5 years of age are underweight,  48%  are  stunted  and  19.8%  are  wasted.  However,  as  per  the  Rapid  Survey  on Children (RSoC), 2013-14, commissioned by Ministry of Women and Child Development, there is a reduction in underweight among children under 5 years of age from 42.5% in NFHS-3 to 29.4%, stunting from 48% in NFHS-3 to 38.7% and wasting from 19.8% in NFHS-3 to 15.1% in RSoC.

(e & f)  The ICDS Scheme has since been universalized to cover all the States/UTs of the country.

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