(a) whether the NITI Aayog has set up a behavioural policy unit;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the composition of this unit along with the details of the current projects on which this unit is working on?
(a) whether the NITI Aayog has set up a behavioural policy unit;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the composition of this unit along with the details of the current projects on which this unit is working on?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING
AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
(a) The NITI Aayog has entered into a tripartite Statement of Intent (SoI) with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Centre for Social & Behavioral Change (CSBC), to work as a team to examine selected schemes from a behavioral angle and to improve their impact.
(b) The Statement of Intent was signed in November 2019 as it is recognized that effectiveness of many schemes can be improved if the approach and guidelines are consistent with the preferred behavioral pattern of the target group.
(c) The team referred in answer (a) above consists of officials from NITI Aayog and experts from BMGF and CSBC. This team has identified key priority indicators in Health & Nutrition including Iron, Folic-Acid (IFA) supplementation program for pregnant women to reduce anemia and improving complementary feeding practices for 6 to 11 months children in selected Aspirational Districts. The team is gathering information through field visits in Aspirational Districts, prevalent practices and through various literature, for designing impactful behavioral interventions for improving the program delivery and coverage.
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