(a) whether India alone accounts for 40 per cent of the malnourished children in the world; and
(b) if so, the remedial measures contemplated by the Government to arrest this trend?
(a) whether India alone accounts for 40 per cent of the malnourished children in the world; and
(b) if so, the remedial measures contemplated by the Government to arrest this trend?
MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. C.P. THAKUR)
(a)&(b): A statement is laid on the table of Lok Sabha.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 16 FOR 24.7.2000
India accounts for 40 per cent of the world`s malnourished children, as per the World Bank Report `Wasting Away - the Crisis in India`. To address the problem of malnutrition the Government of India adopted the National Nutrition Policy in 1993. The Policy advocates a multi-sectoral approach for controlling the problem of malnutrition and improving nutrition of the people. The National Nutrition Policy contains short-term direct interventions as well as long term indirect interventions. A National Plan of Action on Nutrition has been developed to serve as a framework for translating the instruments of the National Nutrition Policy. The roles of 14 Departments and Ministries have been identified for nutrition promotion.
Various measures adopted by the Government to improve the nutritional status of the population including the child population, inter-alia include, increase in agricultural production; improvement of purchasing power of the people through income generation schemes; making available essential food items at subsidised costs through public distribution system; nutrition education to increase awareness and affecting behaviour change in feeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding practices in infants and young children. Supplementary feeding programmes including the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, Special Nutrition Programme, Balwadi Nutrition Programme and Mid-day Meal Programme are under implementation.
A programme for prevention of specific micronutrient deficiency of iodine, and prophylaxis programmes for preventing blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency and nutritional anaemia due to deficiency of iron and folic acid are being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A pilot project for control of micro-nutrient malnutrition is also under implementation.