Targeted Interventions to deal with Malnutrition

This Union Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing several schemes/programs such as Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) namely SABLA, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna (IGMSY) as targeted interventions to deal with malnutrition.

The Restructured and Strengthened ICDS Scheme has already been rolled out to address various programmatic, management and institutional gaps and meet administrative and operational challenges. Roll out of Restructured and Strengthened ICDS has taken place as per the following schedule:

(i) In 200 high burden districts in the first year (2012-13);
(ii) In additional 200 districts in second year (2013-14) (i.e. w.e.f. 1.4.2013) including districts from special category States and NER;

(iii) In remaining districts in third year (2014-15) (i.e. w.e.f. 1.4.2014).

A special focus has been given to children under 3 years and pregnant and lactating mothers, which is the critical period, including other key features including care and nutrition counseling services, care of severely underweight children, a provision for an additional Anganwadi Worker cum Nutrition Counselor for focus on children under 3 years of age and to improve the family contact, care and nutrition counseling for P&L Mothers in the selected 200 high-burden districts across the country, besides having provision of link worker, and improving Supplementary Nutrition Programme including cost revision.

Under the restructured ICDS, Government has revised the cost of supplementary nutrition for different category of beneficiaries after strengthening & restructuring of ICDS. The revised rates are Rs. 9.00 per beneficiary per day for severely malnourished children.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to a starred question in the Rajya Sabha today.

NB/PS