Govt introduces monitoring mechanism to check performance of schemes launched to combat malnutrition

A monitoring and review mechanism to check the performance of several schemes launched to combat malnutrition in children and women has been started by the government, sources said.

The schemes include Poshan Abhiyaan or national nutrition mission, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana a maternity benefit programme and Anganwadi Services Scheme.

Sources said the periodic monitoring to assess the impact of the national nutrition mission or Poshan Abhiyaan is done by NITI Aayog's technical unit.

"A National Nutrition Resource Centre Central Project Monitoring Unit (NNRCCPMU) has been constituted to ensure regular monitoring and review of all sectoral programmes under Poshan Abhiyaan," a source said.

Regular monitoring of the PMMVY is done through web-based Management and Information (MIS) Software, sources said.

An in-built monitoring system has been developed to track the physical progress of the anganwadi services.

"The scheme is evaluated through various input, output and impact indicators by the MIS," the source said.

"For further strengthening the performance of Anganwadi services the government has introduced monitoring and review mechanism at different levels at national, state, district, block and anganwadi level," he added.

For monitoring scheme for adolescent girls, monitoring committees have been set up at all levels national, state, district, block and village.

The monitoring of the other schemes is also undertaken through meetings and video conferences with the officials of state government.

According to the Global Nutrition Report 2018, India is facing a major malnutrition crisis as it accounts for almost a third of the world's burden for stunting.

With 46.6 million children who are stunted, India tops the list of countries, followed by Nigeria (13.9 million) and Pakistan (10.7 million), the report had said.