Implementation Of POSHAN Abhiyan Scheme

Government is implementing POSHAN Abhiyaan, earlier known as National Nutrition Mission, since 18^th December 2017 to address the problem of malnutrition in the country.The Abhiyaan aims to reduce malnutrition in the country in a phased manner, through a life cycle approach, by adopting a synergised and result oriented approach. To ensure a holistic approach, all districts of States/UTs have been covered in the Abhiyaan. Target is to bring down stunting of the children in the age group of 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by the year 2022. The goals of POSHAN Abhiyaan are to achieve improvement in nutritional status of children from 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers in a time bound manner during the three years with fixed targets as under:

The results of the POSHAN Abhiyaan can be known after the programme has completed its approved period.  However, in the meantime, as per the report of Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by UNICEF, prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children is 34.7%, 17% and 33.4% respectively, which is an improvement and reduction from the levels reported in National Family Health Survey-4.

The funds released for the scheme are being utilized by most of the State Governments except Odisha and West Bengal. Odisha has recently approved implementation of POSHAN Abhiyaan in the State and West Bengal is yet to implement the Abhiyaan. State-wise statement of funds released and utilisation under POSHAN Abhiyaan is at Annexure.

Meetings were heldwithChief Ministers of 15 States during the last six months to review the progress of POSHAN Abhiyaan, in which apart from the senior officers of Ministry, representatives of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and NITI Aayog also participated. National Council under the Chairmanship of Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog and the Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD) also monitor the progress of POSHAN Abhiyaan.   Secretary, MWCD has also reviewed the progress of POSHAN Abhiyaan with the Chief Secretaries and Secretaries of Women and Child Development of States during his visits to the States.  Recently, a national conference was organised on 13^th and 14^th November, 2019 with State Secretaries of Women and Child Development for in-depth review of POSHAN Abhiyaan and other Schemes. Series of Video Conferences were also organized in order to accelerate the progress of POSHAN Abhiyaan.   Letters are also sent regularly to Chief Secretaries and Secretaries of Women and Child Development of States regarding monitoring and effective implementation of POSHAN Abhiyaan.

Annexure

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.