MINISER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a)to(d): The Global Hunger Index (GHI) by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is based on three equal weight indicators which are (i) under nourishment – reflected
by the proportion of under nourished as a percentage of the population, (ii) child under weight
– reflected by the proportion of children younger than the age of five who are under weight,(iii) child mortality – reflected by the mortality rate of children younger than the age of
five. The 2011 Index was calculated for 122 countries and reflects data from the year 2004
to 2009. The score of India on the Index is 23.7 and is ranked 67th.
As per the National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3), 2005-06, 42.5% children under 5 years
are underweight. 35.6% of women in the age group of 15-49 years suffer from chronic energy
deficiency (CED) (measured as low body mass index). The State-wise details of the underweight
children and women are at Annex 1 to 2.
Malnutrition is manifestation of several underlying factors & causes and is complex, multi-
dimensional and inter-generational in nature. The causes are varied and include inadequate
consumption of food, frequent infections, lack of availability of safe drinking water and
proper sanitation, illiteracy specially in women, poor access to health services, low
purchasing power , socio-cultural factors such as early marriages of girls, lack of care
during pregnancy and infancy, ignorance about nutritional needs of infants and young
children etc.
The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing
several schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Departments through State Governments/UT
Administrations. The schemes/programmes include the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Mid Day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Schemes
for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) namely SABLA, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog
Yojna (IGMSY) as Direct targeted interventions. Besides, indirect Multi-sectoral interventions
include Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), National Horticulture Mission, National
Food Security Mission, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),
Total Sanitation Campaign, National Rural Drinking Water Programme etc. All these schemes
have potential to address one or other aspect of Nutrition. Several of the existing schemes/
programmes have been expanded / universalized just before or during the Eleventh Five year
Plan, hence, the results are likely to be visible after some time.
Schemes/programmes such as Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), Rajiv Gandhi
Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG), namely, SABALA, and the Mid-day Meal(MDM)
also provide supplementary nutrition/meal through the targeted interventions.
The responsibility of implementation of most of the above schemes lies with State Governments/
UT Administrations who have been advised from time to time to set up State Nutrition Council
and other mechanisms to address the issue.
The proposed National Food Security Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on 22 December 2011 will
also contribute towards food security.
