Gist of Editorials: For a Malnutrition-free India | GS – II


Relevance : GS Paper II


India continues to grapple with a high rate of undernutrition.

Stunting

  • Stunting impacts human capital, poverty and equity.
  • It leads to less potential in education and fewer professional opportunities.
  • India has unacceptably high levels of stunting of around 35%.
  • Stunting leads to slower economic growth.
  • Stunting also has lasting effects on future generations.
  • Decadal decline in stunting is only one percentage point a year.
  • Inter-State variabilities remain extremely high.
  • India has more stunted children in rural areas.

National Nutrition Strategy

  • Achieve a malnutrition-free India by 2022.
  • Reduce stunting prevalence by about three percentage points per year.
  • Achieve a one-third reduction in anaemia.

Way forward

  • Serious alignment among line ministries.
  • Convergence of nutrition programmes.
  • Stringent monitoring of the progress made.
  • Timely nutritional interventions of breastfeeding.
  • Full immunisation and Vitamin A supplementation.
  • Effective interventions for both mother and child.
  • Lessons from Chhattisgarh’s performance in reducing stunting.
  • Increase in household income.

Conclusion

Effective monitoring and implementation of programmes to address malnutrition are needed.


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