MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRADEEP JAIN `ADITYA`)
(a)&(b): The Ministry of Rural Development, on 12th August, 2008, constituted an Expert Group, which could advise the Ministry on the methodology for conducting the BPL Census under the Chairmanship of Dr. N. C. Saxena. The Expert Group submitted its report on 21st August, 2009.
(b)&(c): The Expert Group, in its report, does not make any comparison between the data of Registrar General and Census Commissioner and that of the National Sample Survey Organisation.
(e): The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3, 2005-06, reflects that 42.5% of Children under 5 years of age are under-weight in the country. There has been a decline in under nutrition as prevalence underweight has declined from 42.7 % in 1998-99 (NFHS-2) to 40.4% in 2005-06(NFHS-3) for children below 3 years of age. The anemia in children below 3 years
has increased from 74.3% from 74.3% (NFHS-2) to 78.91% (NFHS-3).
(f): The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition in the country 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), National Rural Health Mission(NRHM), Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Schemes for Empowerment of Adoloscent Girls(RGSEAG) namely SABLA, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna(IGMSY) as
Direct Targeted interventions. Besides, indirect Multi- Sectoral interventions include Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS), National Horticulture Mission, National Food Security Mission, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, National Rural Drinking Water Programmes etc. All these schemes have potential to address one or other aspect of Nutrition.
