Question : Morning Snacks in Supplementary Nutrition Programme

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 ?

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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