Syllabus: GS-II & V: Issues relating to development and management of social sector/services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Why in the News?

India is observing Rashtriya Poshan Maah (National Nutrition Month) in September–October 2025, under the Government of India’s flagship nutrition mission — the POSHAN Abhiyan (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment).

About POSHAN Abhiyan 

• Launched in 2018, the mission aims to make nutrition a “Jan Andolan” (People’s Movement) by converging multiple sectors and mobilising community participation to combat malnutrition.
• The 2025 theme, “Converging towards a healthy walk-through life,” underscores the need for good nutrition at every life stage — from maternal health to childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
  In Assam, Poshan Maah activities have focused on growth monitoring, Poshan Vatikas (nutrition gardens), anaemia awareness, and promotion of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices.

What is Malnutrition?

Malnutrition refers to the condition that results when the body does not receive adequate nutrients for proper functioning and growth.
It encompasses three broad forms:

• Undernutrition – stunting (low height-for-age), wasting (low weight-for-height), and underweight (low weight-for-age).
• Overnutrition – overweight and obesity resulting from excess calorie intake.
• Micronutrient deficiencies – lack of essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, vitamin A, and zinc.

India faces a triple burden of malnutrition — undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, particularly among women and children.

Status of Malnutrition in India

1. National Picture (NFHS-5, 2019–21)

• Stunting (low height-for-age): 35.5% (down from 38.4% in NFHS-4)
• Wasting (low weight-for-height): 19.3% (down from 21%)
• Severe wasting: 7.7% (slightly up from 7.5%)
• Underweight (low weight-for-age): 32.1% (down from 35.8%)
• Anaemia among women (15–49 years): 57% (up from 53%)

Additional findings:

• India ranks 111 out of 125 countries on the Global Hunger Index 2023, categorised as “serious.”
• Over 1.1 crore children suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) as per MWCD (2023).
  

Status of Malnutrition in Assam

According to NFHS-5 (2019–21):

• Stunting: 35.3% (down slightly from 36.4%)
• Wasting: 21.7% (up from 17%)
• Severe wasting: 9.1% (up from 6.2%)
• Underweight: 32.8% (up from 29.8%)

Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices:

• Early initiation of breastfeeding (within 1 hour): 49.1% (down from 64.4%)
• Exclusive breastfeeding till 6 months: 63.6% (no major improvement)
• Minimum adequate diet (6–23 months): 8% (down from 8.9%)

These numbers indicate persistent nutritional deprivation, reflecting issues in feeding practices, poverty, and public health infrastructure.

Initiatives to Reduce Malnutrition

At the National Level

• POSHAN Abhiyan (2018) – Holistic mission targeting reduction of stunting, wasting, anaemia, and low birth weight through convergence of multiple ministries and community mobilization.
• Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 (2021) – Integrates Anganwadi services, supplementary nutrition, and early childhood care with technology-based monitoring.
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) – Provides food supplementation, health checkups, immunisation, and pre-school education.
• Mid-Day Meal Scheme (now PM POSHAN) – Nutritional meals for school children to enhance learning and reduce classroom hunger.
• Anaemia Mukt Bharat (2018) – Targets reduction of anaemia among women, adolescents, and children.
• National Food Security Act (2013) – Ensures subsidised food grains to two-thirds of the population.
• Fortification initiatives – Fortified rice, salt, and edible oils to improve micronutrient intake.
• Mission Shakti – Promotes women’s empowerment and financial independence, indirectly supporting household nutrition security.
  

Initiatives in Assam

• State Convergence under POSHAN Abhiyan: Departments of Health, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, and Rural Development coordinate on nutrition activities.
• Poshan Maah & Poshan Pakhwada: Local campaigns focusing on growth monitoring, anemia detection, and kitchen gardens in Anganwadi centres.
• Poshan Vatikas: Established in schools, AWCs, and households to grow locally available nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits.
• “Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi” initiative integrates early childhood education with nutrition awareness.
• Assam State Nutrition Mission: Implements targeted interventions for high-burden districts like Barpeta, Darrang, and Nagaon.
• Food fortification drives: Use of fortified rice under PDS and Mid-Day Meals.
• Community involvement: Women’s SHGs, ASHA and Anganwadi workers conduct nutrition counselling and awareness campaigns.
  

Why Have Such Initiatives Not Fully Succeeded?

• Fragmented implementation: Lack of convergence among ministries and departments often leads to duplication or gaps.
• Weak monitoring systems: Digital dashboards and real-time data tracking under POSHAN Abhiyan remain uneven across districts.
• Socio-cultural barriers: Myths and taboos around breastfeeding, child feeding, and women’s dietary habits persist.
• Inadequate Anganwadi infrastructure: Many centres lack trained staff, weighing equipment, and nutrition counselling facilities.
• Poverty and food insecurity: Economic distress limits access to diversified diets rich in protein and micronutrients.
• Rising processed food consumption: Urbanisation and changing food habits have led to overnutrition and obesity.
• Gender inequality: Women’s low status in decision-making affects their health, dietary intake, and time for childcare.
• Limited localised strategies: National schemes often fail to adapt to regional food habits, agro-ecological conditions, and traditional diets.
  

Way Forward

• Strengthen Anganwadi Centres (AWCs): Upgrade infrastructure, ensure trained staff, and integrate Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
• Promote dietary diversity: Encourage consumption of local pulses, fish, green leafy vegetables, and millet-based foods through kitchen gardens and community farming.
• Scale up Poshan Vatikas: Every AWC and school should maintain a nutrition garden supported by SHGs and local farmers.
• Enhance behavioural change communication (BCC): Culturally rooted awareness campaigns in Assamese and tribal languages to promote breastfeeding and healthy feeding.
• Focus on adolescent nutrition: Expand the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) program to reduce intergenerational malnutrition.
• Technology-driven monitoring: Use real-time data dashboards, geotagged Anganwadis, and mobile apps for progress tracking under POSHAN Abhiyan.
• Empower communities: Engage SHGs, Panchayati Raj Institutions, and youth organisations as Poshan Ambassadors.
• Climate-smart agriculture for nutrition: Promote biofortified crops, homestead farming, and resilient food systems to sustain long-term dietary diversity.
• Convergent approach: Nutrition interventions must work alongside water, sanitation (Jal Jeevan Mission), and healthcare (Ayushman Bharat).
  

Conclusion

Malnutrition in India — and particularly in Assam — is not merely a food issue but a development challenge intertwined with poverty, gender inequality, sanitation, and education.
Rashtriya Poshan Maah reaffirms that nutrition is not charity, but a right.
To realise a “Malnutrition-Free Assam”, efforts must shift from symbolic campaigns to sustained, community-led actions backed by evidence, convergence, and accountability.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver.” Ensuring good nutrition for every mother and child is thus both a moral and developmental imperative.

Mains Practice Question 

Q. Despite several national and state-level schemes, malnutrition continues to be a major public health challenge in India. Analyse the causes behind the persistence of malnutrition with special reference to Assam, and suggest a convergence-based approach to address it. (250 words)

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