NEW DELHI: On a day eminent scientist M S Swaminathan recalled Lord Curzon having identified poor agricultural productivity and malnutrition in early 1900s as two main challenge, NITI Aayog unveiled the slogan of “Kuposhan Mukt Bharat” as part of National Nutrition Strategy, which seeks to substantially improve conditions by 2022. In a tale of apparent travesty of policy making and execution on ground, the think-tank panel listed four out of five worst districts in the country in stunting of children from Uttar Pradesh, which is reporting deaths of children in 100s in recent weeks.
Before NITI Aayog could shed light on the strategy document, eminent social worker Hanumappa Sudarshan in a scathing attack on policy making in the country quipped: “It’s a national shame not to have managed anaemia even after seven decades of Independence of the country”. Incidentally, 58.4 per cent of children between six to 59 months currently are anaemic as per the NITI Aayog document.
The strategy document lists Bahraich, Shrawasti and Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh as the three top poor districts in the country in terms of stunting of children. In fact, six districts in UP are in top 10 worst in stunting. Sudarshan opined if officials are held accountable for poor execution of schemes the performances could improve, while stressing corruption as reason for continuing scale of malnutrition in the country.
Making a case for monitorable outcomes, the national nutritional strategy has set the target of reduction in conditions of underweight children for below five years age children from the current 35.7 per cent to 20.7 per cent by 2022. It aims lowering anemia in six to 59 months age group children from the current 58.4 per cent to 19.5 per cent by 2022, while targeting reduction of prevalence of anemia in women and girls in 15-49 years group from the current 53.1 per cent to 17.7 per cent.
Furthermore, the think tank panel has advocated tracking of cases of malnutrition with the help of GPS (global positioning system), besides enhancing the monetary support, which is currently Rs 158 per month, to pregnant women by factoring in inflation. The NITI Aayog has also listed six sets of targets for 2025 – achieve a 40 per cent reduction in the number of children who are under five years stunted; achieve a 50 per cent reduction in anemia in women of reproductive age; achieve a 30 per cent reduction in low birth weight; ensure that there is no increase in childhood overweight; increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months up to at least 50 per cent; and reduce and maintain childhood wasting to less than five per cent.
The strategy document has stated that “the nutritional strategy will be implemented using resources of major flagship programmes involved – NRHM (National Rural Health Mission), ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services), Swachch Bharat, and resources earmarked for the upcoming National Nutrition Mission”.