Rapid Survey on Children (RSoC) has shown reduction in percentage of under weight children since 2005-06 According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 (2005-06) carried out by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, 42.5% children under 5 years of age are underweight. However, as per the Rapid Survey on Children (RSoC), 2013-14, commissioned by Ministry of Women and Child Development, there is a reduction in underweight children under 5 years of age from 42.5% in NFHS-3 to 29.4%, in RSoC. Among Schedule Tribes and Schedule Castes along with Other Backward Classes, the percentage of underweight children under 5 years of age is 54.5%, 47.9% and 43.2% respectively. The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Departments through State Governments/UT Administrations. The schemes/programmes include the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, National Health Mission, Mid Day Meal Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) namely SABLA, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna (IGMSY) as direct targeted interventions. Besides, indirect Multi-sectoral interventions include Targeted Public Distribution System, National Horticulture Mission, National Food Security Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Total Sanitation Campaign, National Rural Drinking Water Programme etc. This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha today.
