Menace of malnutrition needs humane solution, says Smriti Irani

Union Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD), Smriti Irani, chaired the meeting of the fifth National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges here on Thursday and said that a humane solution has to be developed to tackle the menace of malnutrition.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Irani said, "A humane solution has to be developed to tackle the menace of malnutrition in India and for this, the economic benefits of investing in nutrition have to be highlighted and propagated."

"WCD Minister quoted the World Bank Global Nutrition Report - 2018 which says that malnutrition costs India at least USD 10 billion annually in terms of lost productivity, illness and death and is seriously retarding improvements in human development and further reduction of childhood mortality," the press release said.

"POSHAN is an exercise for life for all citizens and should not be limited to women and children", Irani was quoted as saying.

The release said, "WCD Minister informed that the Ministry along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Deendayal Research Institute is developing a POSHAN atlas to map the crops and food grains grown in different regions of the country because the solution to tackling malnutrition lies in promoting regional cropping patterns and embracing local food that is rich in protein."

"WCD Minister suggested that in order to acknowledge the unsung heroes of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, who work tirelessly and selflessly for the cause of nutrition like the Aganwadi and ASHA workers, a system of ranking of states on health and nutritional parameters may be developed and for this NITI Aayog may develop a framework for the states to rank districts," it added.

The Minister further suggested that the process of ranking may involve citizens and civil society.

The press release further said, "WCD Ministry placed before the Council the report of the POSHAN Maah observed during September 2019.

The release said that the WCD Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking up the subject of POSHAN during Maan ki Baat on August 25, 2019, which had a countrywide impact.

"She also thanked all State Governments and District Administration for making the POSHAN Maah a success. However, she stressed that this battle may not be restricted to only one month in a year but has to be fought every day if India has to eradicate the scourge of malnutrition, stunting and wasting," the press release added.