Towards a Kuposhan Mukt Bharat

Towards a Kuposhan Mukt Bharat

News:

1. India to take strong measures to combat Malnutrition.

Important Facts:

1. POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyan was launched in March from Jhunjhunu to fight against Kuposhan (Malnutrition).
2. Malnutrition Indicators in India:

3. Objective and Targets of Kuposhan Muqt Bharat:

• 3 percentages reduction yearly in underweight prevalence in children (0-3 years) by 2022 from NFHS-4 levels.
• 1/3rd reduction in anaemia in children, adolescent & Women of Reproductive Age (WRA).

4. UN expert says malnutrition figures in India were worse than those of sub-Saharan Africa
5. Reasons

• More underweight babies born to more underweight mothers.
• Mothers are underweight because there is a high level of anemia among women (55 per cent).
• Women gave birth at an early age
• There is not enough spacing between children
• There is a high dropout rate from school.
• Bare minimum nutritional food to eat.

6. MWCD has implemented the following schemes to address malnutrition:

• Under Umbrella ICDS scheme of MWCD (Ministry of Women and Child Development), Supplementary Nutrition Programme is being implemented through platform of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) for addressing under-nutrition in pregnant and lactating women, under-6 children and out-of-school adolescent girls.
• Recently National Nutrition Mission has been approved under MWCD for addressing malnutrition status of the country in a comprehensive manner.

7. What can be done

• To prepare a detailed action plan for states to tackle malnutrition.
• Need to track progress closely, and consider a yearly survey instead of the six-yearly National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
• Attitudinal change towards dyslexic (Unable to read and spell) and special children.