(a) whether the Government has launched Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh Yojana and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of the benefits likely to be provided to the backward States like Bihar under the said scheme;
(c) the funds approved under the said scheme; and
(d) the manner in which it will enable focus on tackling malnutrition across the country along with the targeted/intended beneficiaries under the scheme?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a) to (d) Ministry of Women and Child Development along with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) announced the Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh in New Delhi on 18th November, 2019. “Bhartiya Poshan Krishi Kosh” project has two components – Development of a Food Atlas and Documentation of promising practices for Jan-Andolan for POSHAN Abhiyaan. The Agro-Food Atlas is to act as a repository of diverse crops across 127 agro-climatic zones of the country including Bihar having three parts- crops currently being grown, agro-ecological conditions (soil, organic carbon content, ground water availability etc) and guidance on how a greater diversity of crops could be encouraged in a particular district or block to promote dietary diversity and nutrition. The project includes diverse data sources like National Sample Survey, Agri-Census, Soil Health Cards, ISRO’s Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radio meter. The project also documents social, behavioral and cultural practices that promote and reinforce healthy dietary behaviors. Identification of promising practices with the help of a multi-disciplinary group of experts and development of a tool kit to disseminate best strategies for Social and Behavioural Change Communication, specific to population groups in those regions is also a part of it. No separate funds have been approved for the same.
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