India signs up for 9046-crore scheme with World Bank loan to eradicate nutrition problems in India

India signed an agreement with the World Bank yesterday for a USD 200-million loan for the POSHAN (PM's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan also called the National Nutrition Mission.

The loan will support the Government of India towards its goal of reducing stunting in children aged 0-6 years from 38.4 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022.

It will also support the first phase of scaling up of interventions in 315 districts across all states and union territories, according to an official statement.

The loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a maturity of 19.5 years including a grace period of four years.

WHAT IS POSHAN ABHIYAAN?

The PM's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment Abhiyaan, aka National Nutrition Mission, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8 in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan

The total budget of the scheme is Rs 9046.17 crore

A large component of POSHAN Abhiyaan involves gradual scaling-up of the interventions supported by the ongoing World Bank-assisted Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) to all districts in the country over a three-year periodThe project will focus on improvement in coverage and quality of Integrated Child Development Services' nutrition services to pregnant/nursing women as well as children under the age of three

The scheme will also ensure convergence of all nutrition-related schemes and provide performance-based incentives to states and community nutrition and health workers, facilitating a focus on results.

A team has been formed on 'Poshan Abhiyaan', an apex body to formulate overall policies, guide and monitor all nutrition-based schemes, which will submit its report to the government every six months

PROBLEM OF UNDER-NUTRITION IN INDIA: FACT CHECK

Approximately, one-fifth of the children in India are born with low birth-weight

35.7 per cent of children under five are underweight, 38.4 per cent are stunted, 21 per cent are wasted and 58.4 per cent are anemic

Research shows that inappropriate maternal and child feeding and caring practices, exposure to repeated infections, inadequate utilization of health services, and poor sanitation, especially during pregnancy and in the first two years of life, are among the key contributors to malnutrition

Breastfeeding within an hour of birth could prevent 20 per cent of the newborn deaths. Unfortunately, only half of the children under six months of age are exclusively breastfed in India

The number of children with stunted growth due to malnutrition, in India, is 48.2 million. That's more than the population of Canada.