The Editorial Analysis- Malnutrition in India is a Worry in a Modern Scenario

Table of Contents

Malnutrition in India is a Worry in a Modern Scenario– Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.

Malnutrition in India is a Worry in a Modern Scenario

India’s greatest national treasure is its people- especially women and children- but even after 75 years of independence, a majority of them do not get the required diet to meet their nutritional needs.

Malnutrition in India- Marginal Improvement

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) has shown marginal improvement in different nutrition indicators, indicating that the pace of progress is slow.
- Children in several States are more undernourished now than they were five years ago.
Stunting: While there was some reduction in stunting rates (35.5% from 38.4% in NFHS-4) 13 States or Union Territories have seen an increase in stunted children since NFHS-4.
- This includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Kerala.
Wasting: the most visible and life-threatening form of malnutrition, has either risen or has remained stagnant over the years.
- Wasting is defined as low weight-for-height.
Anaemia: India also has the highest prevalence of anaemia in the world.
- Anaemia is defined as the condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal.
- The NFHS-5 survey indicates that more than 57% of women (15-49 years) and over 67% children (six-59 months) suffer from anaemia.

Impact of Malnutrition

Undernourished children are at risk of under-performing in studies and have limited job prospects.
This vicious cycle restrains the development of the country, whose workforce, affected mentally and physically, has reduced work capacity.
Anaemia reduces the work capacity of individuals, in turn impacting the economy and overall national growth.
- Developing countries lose up to 4.05% in GDP per annum due to iron deficiency anaemia.
- India loses up to 1.18% of GDP annually due to Anaemia.

Eliminating Malnutrition from India- Way Forward

Enhanced Investment: increase investment in women and children’s health and nutrition to ensure their sustainable development and improved quality of life.
- Saksham Anganwadi and the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN) 2.0 programme have seen only a marginal increase in budgetary allocation this year.
- Additionally, 32% of funds released under POSHAN Abhiyaan to States and Union Territories have not been utilised.
Adopt an Outcome-oriented Approach on Nutrition Programmes: It is crucial that parliamentarians begin monitoring needs and interventions in their constituencies and raise awareness on the issues, impact, and solutions to address the challenges at the local level.
- There has to be direct engagement with nutritionally vulnerable groups like the elderly, pregnant women, etc. and contribute toward ensuring last-mile delivery of key nutrition services and interventions.
- This will ensure greater awareness on the one hand and proper planning and implementation of programmes at the grass-roots level on the other, which can then be replicated at the district and national levels.
Making people the Agent of Change: With basic education and general awareness, every individual is informed, takes initiatives at the personal level and can become an agent of change.
- Various studies highlight a strong link between mothers’ education and improved access and compliance with nutrition interventions among children.
- We must ensure our young population has a competitive advantage; nutrition and health are foundational to that outcome.
Effective Monitoring and Evaluation: of programs to address systemic and on the ground challenges.
- A New or existing committee or the relevant standing committees meet and deliberate over effective policy decisions, monitor the implementation of schemes, and review nutritional status across States.

Conclusion

The country’s response to malnutrition and its growing anaemia burden should be practical and innovative. Everyone is a stakeholder and should contribute towards ending malnutrition and anaemia.

Failing on Food- Status of Malnutrition in Children and PM POSHAN Scheme

POSHAN 2.0 scheme