Malnutrition in India.

 India, a country of billion plus people has laid down ambitious goals for itself. In order to emerge as the next leading economic powerhouse of the world. The single biggest threat that could prevent India from achieving this dream is “MALNUTRITION”.

Chronic malnutrition has a disastrous impact on the people especially on the children.

  • It affects the physical and mental development of a child.

  • Lead to variety of decreases and illness

  • Resulting increased child mortality (under the age of 5 years)

  • Those who end up surviving suffer from stunting (fails to attain a potential height) and wasting (fails to attain a potential weight)


In India, the problem of child malnutrition is extremely severe. Data shows in 2017, 68% of the one million deaths of children under the age of 5 years have died because of malnutrition. Malnutrition not only can cause a generation set back for the entire country but also creates a vicious cycle -

Malnutrition → Poverty → Can’t afford quality food and healthcare → Malnutrition


Over the years India did make considerable progress in providing essential nutrients to its population. India runs one of the largest childhood public intervention schemes-

  • Integrated child development scheme

  • Mid day meal programme in government schools 

  • Public distribution system


Recently in 2018, India launched the ambitious Poshan Abhiyaan (an initiative of PM Modi), which seeks to fulfill the nutrition requirement of the population.


However India’s programme is completely derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. It had a disproportionately impact on weaker sections, aggravated the problems if food insecurity, administration and delivery of several government schemes have also been disrupted such as IDS, Mid day meal and PDS) which was essentially implemented through Anganwadi centres, Schools, Hospitals, PDS network of Ration shops.


Therefore the problem of malnutrition has to be challenged at the foundational level:

  • The country needs leadership skills at the level of state and districts accompanied with proactive involvement of the local panchayat for implementing policies at the root level.

  • Allocation of adequate finances targeted towards vulnerable people of the community such as the women, children, urban slums, migrants, Tribals and districts reporting high levels of malnutrition.

  • This cannot be done by the Government alone, therefore need multi- stakeholder approach with the involvement of : Global development partners (UN , World Bank), Civil Societies, Academia and active involvement of private sectors

  • The Central Government will have to put in place monitoring and feedback mechanisms through which all the relevant clinical data can be collected and systematically carried out in order to course correct.

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