Data on the number of deaths due to malnutrition in the country is not maintained by THE Ministry of Women and Child Development. However, as per the survey on ‘Causes of Death – 2001-03 in India’ by Registrar General of India, nutritional deficiencies are responsible for only 2.8% death of children aged 0-4 years and 1.8% in the age group 5-14 years. Some of the major causes of death of children below 4 years are perinatal conditions (33%), respiratory infections (22%), diarrheal diseases (14%), other infections and parasitic diseases (11%), accounting for 80% of the deaths in this age group. Malnutrition is not a direct cause of death but contributes to increased morbidity and mortality by reducing resistance to infections.
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in which Central Government is responsible for policy and programme planning and States/UTs are responsible for the implementation of Scheme including procurement, supply and management of supplementary nutrition at the Anganwadi Centres. States /UTs are required to provide supplementary nutrition to children (6 months to 6 years) and pregnant women and lactating mothers for 300days in a year as per the schematic nutritional norms of the Scheme.
Complaints regarding irregularities in the functioning the Anganwadi Centres and distribution of SNP (including poor quality of SNP) were received. Any complaint received by the Government is referred to the concerned States/UTs for appropriate action in the matter. During visits instances of disruptions and deficiencies in SNP by the States are also detected and brought to the notice of the respective State Government for remedial measures and actions.
Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) through its field/ regional units collects Supplementary Nutrition Food samples supplied to the beneficiaries at Anganwadi Centres of the ICDS Scheme, which is analysed for quality assessment. Deficiencies observed in nutrition/ feeding norms and its quality are pointed out to the States/ UTs for further necessary corrective action
The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and has also introduced 5-tier monitoring and review mechanism at National, State, District, Block and Anganwadi Levels for which guidelines were issued on 31.3.2011. Under these guidelines, the District and Block level Committees are to be constituted to closely monitor inter –alia quality of supplementary nutrition, regularity of functioning of Anganwadi Centres, etc. and Anganwadi level Committee is required to review and take as well as suggest actions to improve delivery of services including status of supply of supplementary food to all beneficiaries for at least 25 days in a month in AWCs etc
For Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Education and Literacy has received eleven complaints since January, 2011 stating that Mid Day Meal in Schools was not regularly made available to the beneficiaries. The above complaints were inquired in consultation with respective State Governments which informed that ten complaints were baseless. In one case, the reply is still awaited from State Government of West Bengal.
This was stated by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women and Child Development, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in which Central Government is responsible for policy and programme planning and States/UTs are responsible for the implementation of Scheme including procurement, supply and management of supplementary nutrition at the Anganwadi Centres. States /UTs are required to provide supplementary nutrition to children (6 months to 6 years) and pregnant women and lactating mothers for 300days in a year as per the schematic nutritional norms of the Scheme.
Complaints regarding irregularities in the functioning the Anganwadi Centres and distribution of SNP (including poor quality of SNP) were received. Any complaint received by the Government is referred to the concerned States/UTs for appropriate action in the matter. During visits instances of disruptions and deficiencies in SNP by the States are also detected and brought to the notice of the respective State Government for remedial measures and actions.
Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) through its field/ regional units collects Supplementary Nutrition Food samples supplied to the beneficiaries at Anganwadi Centres of the ICDS Scheme, which is analysed for quality assessment. Deficiencies observed in nutrition/ feeding norms and its quality are pointed out to the States/ UTs for further necessary corrective action
The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and has also introduced 5-tier monitoring and review mechanism at National, State, District, Block and Anganwadi Levels for which guidelines were issued on 31.3.2011. Under these guidelines, the District and Block level Committees are to be constituted to closely monitor inter –alia quality of supplementary nutrition, regularity of functioning of Anganwadi Centres, etc. and Anganwadi level Committee is required to review and take as well as suggest actions to improve delivery of services including status of supply of supplementary food to all beneficiaries for at least 25 days in a month in AWCs etc
For Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Education and Literacy has received eleven complaints since January, 2011 stating that Mid Day Meal in Schools was not regularly made available to the beneficiaries. The above complaints were inquired in consultation with respective State Governments which informed that ten complaints were baseless. In one case, the reply is still awaited from State Government of West Bengal.
This was stated by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women and Child Development, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.
