(a) whether a lot of cases of death from starvation have been received from various States during the last three years;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor, State/UT-wise; and
(c) the details of the action taken/to be taken to provide foodgrains to the families affected by it and check the deaths taking place due to starvation in the country?
MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)
(a) to (c): No State/UT has reported any incidence of death due to starvation in the country.
However, to prevent the starvation deaths in the country and to provide food security to the vulnerable population and to ensure that people living below poverty line get adequate food grains, the Government has been providing food grains at highly subsidized prices to the targeted population through the State Governments/UT Administrations under National Food Security Act, 2013 and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) (Mid Day Meal Scheme, Wheat Based Nutrition Programme, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, Annapurna Scheme, Allocation of foodgrains under Welfare Institutions & Hostels Scheme). The main responsibility for implementation of the Act including distribution of foodgrain lies with the States/UTs. An annual allocation of over 610 LMT of foodgrain is made by Government of India under NFSA and OWS.
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Further Department has issued instructions to all States/UTs that no person/ household shall be deleted from the list of eligible beneficiaries/households and denied subsidized foodgrain under NFSA only on the ground of not possessing of Aadhar number. Instructions have also been issued for providing foodgrains even in the event of authentication failure through alternative mechanisms.
To improve the health and nutritional status of vulnerable population of the country, Govt. of India has taken various other measures as well. Some of these are:-
1. Under Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Programme of National Health Mission, various interventions are implemented to improve the health of mother and children which have implication on nutritional status of children. These are:
i. Promotion of appropriate infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) that include early Initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding till 6 months of age during Village Health and Nutrition Days and household visits for counseling by ASHAs.
ii. Treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition at special units called the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs).
iii. Specific program to prevent and combat micronutrient deficiencies of Vitamin A and Iron & Folic Acid. Vitamin A supplementation is provided for children till the age of 5 years. Under the National Iron plus Initiative, bi-weekly Iron & Folic Acid supplementation is provided to children 6 to 60 months.
iv. Management of under-nutrition and common neonatal and childhood illnesses at community and Facility level by training service providers in IMNCI (Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses) training.
2. National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP) for promotion of adequately Iodated salt (> 15 ppm Iodine content) consumption at household level.
3. Nutrition Education to increase the awareness and bring about desired changes in the dietary practices including the promotion of breast feeding and dietary diversification is being encouraged under both Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) of M/o Women and Child Development and National Health Mission (NHM) under MoHFW. Monthly Village Health and Nutrition Days are observed in villages for provision of maternal and Child care. Emphasis is given to intake of green leafy vegetables and other important sources of iron and means to promote iron absorption.