By Dr. Anil Agrawal
India, a nation with a rich cultural heritage and diverse population, faces a significant challenge in the form of malnutrition, particularly among its children and women. In the last nine years, the government of India has implemented several schemes aimed at addressing this pressing issue. However, despite these efforts, malnutrition remains a critical concern.
Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2023 is harnessing the power of Jan Bhagidari through people’s participation under various themes. Diverse activities like Swasth Balak Spardha, Anaemia camps, and Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi registered a record number of activities just in a day on the Jan Andolan dashboard.
Since the launch of POSHAN Abhiyaan in March 2018, the nation has embarked on nationwide Jan Andolans focused on nutrition for the very first time. These annual Jan Andolans under POSHAN Abhiyaan are carefully curated to promote behavioural changes, particularly as regards consumption of essential nutritious foods extending to the grassroots level. They are designed to target specific beneficiaries, namely pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children up to 6 years of age.
The Jan Andolans is celebrated twice annually, during Poshan Maah in September and Poshan Pakhwada in March-April. To date, 10 Jan Andolans have been successfully celebrated (5 for each Maah and Pakhwada), recording more than 60 crore sensitization activities. This demonstrates the increasing and sustained participation across the country since 2018.
Currently, the nation is observing the 6th Rashtriya Poshan Maah, organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. This event demonstrates the strength of collaboration with various key ministries and departments for maximum outreach. In the first 12 days of these ongoing celebrations, over 6 crore activities have been registered on the Jan Andolan dashboard across the country.
Throughout this month-long event, diverse stakeholders are actively participating to improve ground-level nutrition outcomes and encourage behavioural changes. Ministries such as Rural Development, Health & Family Welfare, and Panchayati Raj are leading, with the Ministry of Rural Development alone recording more than 6 lakh activities under Rashritya Poshan Maah 2023.
The current campaign is focusing on key themes, including exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding, Swasth Balak Spardha, growth measurement, and sensitization of tribal communities to millet, local food, and traditional food for addressing malnutrition challenges like anaemia, among others.
In terms of specific sensitization activities, the Swasth Balak Spardha/Growth measurement drive has registered the highest number of activities at 15 lakhs, followed by sensitization activities on growth monitoring and “Food Resource Mapping” within the village boundaries, which stand at close to 14 lakh activities. Additionally, anaemia camps for children, adolescent girls, and women in tribal districts recorded more than 12 lakh activities, with 11 lakh home visits focusing on ECCE, especially engaging parents.
Collectively, through each Jan Andolan and its unique participatory sensitization activities, steady progress is being made towards making nutrition a part of Jan Bhagidari. Poshan Abhiyaan 2.0 aims at improving the nutritional status of children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. Resting on the pillars of convergence, governance, and capacity building, Poshan 2.0 aims to contribute to the human capital development of the country, address challenges of malnutrition, promote nutrition awareness, develop good eating habits for sustainable health and well-being, and address nutrition-related deficiencies.
Poshan Abhiyaan 2.0 aims to benefit approximately 11.80 crore children studying in 11.20 lakh schools nationwide. This initiative extends mid-day meals to Balvatika children, in addition to those in classes 1 to 8 in government and government-aided schools, aligning with the National Education Policy 2020. The scheme integrates Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Women Self-Help Groups to champion the “vocal for local” philosophy, advancing the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat, India’s self-reliance initiative. To ensure the effective implementation of the National Nutrition Mission, social audits are made mandatory for every school in every district, engaging university and college students in field visits to monitor progress. Poshan Abhiyaan promotes the establishment of nutrition gardens in schools to provide additional micronutrients to students. It encourages schools to organise cooking competitions based on locally available vegetables. States are empowered to include supplementary items based on local needs, such as milk, fruits, or vegetables, with central approval, especially in regions with a high prevalence of anemia. Poshan Abhiyaan introduces “Tithi Bhojan,” encouraging students from private schools to share their meals with underprivileged children at least once a month, fostering community participation and empathy.
The Modi government is providing free food grains to all Antyodaya and priority households for the next year. This initiative is set to improve access, affordability, and availability of entitled food grains for approximately 81 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Importantly, it will alleviate the financial burden on the poorest of the poor, removing barriers to their access to nutritious food. The government’s food subsidy expense for the next year under NFSA and other welfare schemes is expected to exceed INR 2 lakh crore ($24.5 billion), underscoring the significance of this commitment. Awareness-generation activities like the “Eat Right India” campaign are implemented to promote healthy eating habits among schoolchildren and the wider community. This campaign emphasises the importance of eating healthy, safe, and sustainable food. In 2019, the Modi government launched the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme, a citizen-centric and technology-driven initiative aimed at simplifying access to food. This innovative system facilitates the portability of ration cards within and across states, ensuring that families can access their entitled food grains regardless of their location. ONORC has already made strides in enhancing food and nutritional security for priority households.
As the Modi government is in its ninth year in office, the Poshan Abhiyan stands as a testament to its commitment to the well-being of women and children, demonstrating significant progress in the quest for holistic health and nutrition across the nation. The Modi government’s commitment to addressing malnutrition through various schemes is commendable. However, the prevalence of malnutrition persists due to complex factors such as poverty, inadequate access to clean water, changing dietary patterns, and seasonal migrations. To effectively combat malnutrition, it is crucial to continue implementing and enhancing these schemes while simultaneously addressing the root causes of malnutrition. This includes efforts to alleviate poverty, improve sanitation and hygiene, promote healthy eating habits, and support traditional crop cultivation. A holistic approach that combines government initiatives with community involvement is essential to ensuring the health and well-being of India’s children and women.
The Modi government recognizes the vital role nutrition plays in the lives of children and is committed to addressing malnutrition through various schemes and programs. These initiatives not only provide supplementary nutrition but also promote awareness about healthy eating habits and overall well-being. By focusing on the nutritional needs of children and ensuring access to balanced meals, India aims to secure a healthier and brighter future for its young citizens. These initiatives collectively contribute to the government’s efforts to combat malnutrition and promote a culture of good nutrition and healthy living among children across the country.
India’s commitment to these initiatives is not only a testament to its dedication to its citizens but also a significant step towards fulfilling its global commitment under Sustainable Development Goal 2—ensuring zero hunger. This commitment takes on added significance as the world grapples with food insecurity driven by global disruptions.
(The author is a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Member, Standing Committee on Health & Family Welfare, Member, Standing Committee on Information Technology and Member, Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
