(a) the details of target set in Millennium Development Goal 2015 to deal with the problem of
malnutrition among children, women, pregnant and lactating mothers in the country;
(b) achievements made by the State Government/UTs Administration in this regard till date,
State/UT-wise with particular reference to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh; and
(c) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to achieve these targets?
MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISITRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a): The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) -1 is regarding Eradication of Extreme Poverty and
Hunger, which have 2 targets namely, (i) Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the percentage of population
below the National Poverty Line and (ii) Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people
who suffer from hunger. The indicator for measuring target two is the prevalence of underweight
children under three years of age. Thus from the estimated 52% in 1990, the proportion of underweight
children below 3 years is required to be reduced to 26% by 2015. The prevalence of underweight has
declined by 3 percentage points during 1998-99 to 2005-06 , from about 43 percent to about 40
percent (as per the National Family Health Survey, 2005-06). At this historical rate of decline
the proportion of underweight children is expected to come down to about 33% only by 2015 vis-Ã -vis
the 2015 target level of 26% falling short of the target.
(b): For undernutrition, so far, NFHS-3 data is the only information available at the national
level and the prevalence of underweight children below 5 years as per NFHS-3, 2005-06, Statewise/UTs
including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh is annxed. However, some survey, conducted by State/
NGOs show a decline trend in undernutrition such as the survey on nutrition status of under-five year
rural children in Madhya Pradesh State undertaken by National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in 2010.The
study in M.P shows underweight in rural children below 5 years has declined from 62.7% (NFHS-3, 2005-06)
to 51.9% (M.P survey)
Under the Rajmata Jijau Mother-Child Health and Nutrition Mission, Maharashtra, a comprehensive
Nutrition Survey (CNSM) in Maharashtra, 2012 with a focus on infants and children under two and
their mothers has been conducted.
Decline in undernutrition in last six years has been reported in children below 2 years as follows:-
NFHS-3, 2005-06 CNSM, 2012
Underweight 29.6% 21.8%
Stunting 39.0% 22.8%
Wasting 19.9% 15.5%
Besides, the Hungama survey by an NGO indicates a reduction in the prevalence of child underweight
which has decreased from 53 per cent (DLHS, 2004) to 42 per cent representing a 20.3 per cent
decrease over a period of 7 years.
(c): The problem of malnutrition is complex, multi-dimensional and inter-generational in nature,
and cannot be improved by a single sector alone. Poverty and hunger along with household food
insecurity, illiteracy and lack of awareness especially in women, access to health services,
and availability of safe drinking water, sanitation and proper environmental conditions are
some of the determinants of malnutrition. In fact, improvement in malnutrition is linked to
achievement of six of the Millennium Development Goals.
The approach in dealing with the nutrition challenges has been two pronged: First is the
Multi-sectoral approach for accelerated action on the determinants of malnutrition in
targeting nutrition in schemes/ programmes of all the sectors. The second approach is
the direct and specific interventions targeted towards the vulnerable groups such as
children below 6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers.
The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition especially among
children and women including young girls and is implementing several schemes/programmes
through State Governments/UT Administrations including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh. The schemes/programmes include the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS),
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme 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),
Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, National Rural Drinking Water Programme etc. All these schemes have
potential to address one or other aspect of Nutrition.
Recently Government has approved the strengthening and restructuring of ICDS with special
focus on pregnant and lactating mothers and children under three. The restructured and
strengthened ICDS has been rolled out in three phases with focus on the 200 high burden
districts for malnutrition during 2012-13 (which includes 15 districts in Gujarat, 27
districts in Madhya Pradesh and 41 districts in Uttar Pradesh); additional 200 districts
in 2013-14 including districts from the special category States and NER and the remaining
districts in 2014-15.
Further, Government has launched an Information Education and Communication campaign
against malnutrition for generating awareness on key nutrition issues with effect from
28th Dec 2012 in the country including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The proposed National Food Security Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha will also contribute
towards food security. Government has also announced a pilot programme on Nutri-Farms for
introducing new crop varieties that are rich in micro-nutrients such as iron-rich bajra,
protein-rich maize and zinc-rich wheat