POSHAN Abhiyaan: Tackling India’s Persistent Malnutrition Challenges

India faces a critical nutrition crisis, with high rates of stunting, wasting, and anaemia continuing to hinder the country's development. Despite decades of efforts through programs like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the midday meal scheme, malnutrition remains widespread, affecting millions, particularly children and women. The POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission), launched in 2018, is a government initiative aimed at combating these issues through a multi-faceted approach. However, challenges persist, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, calling for a more intensified effort to achieve nutritional security for all.

Persistent Challenges: Stunting and Malnutrition

India is ranked 111 out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index and continues to have the highest number of stunted (32 million) and wasted (20.1 million) children globally. Along with this, approximately 19% of women and 16% of men in India are underweight, while obesity rates are also high. These statistics reveal a complex double burden of malnutrition, where under nutrition coexists with rising obesity, affecting both the economy and public health.

The economic implications are stark, with the World Bank estimating that stunting leads to a 1.4% loss in adult productivity for every 1% loss in height. Malnutrition also has intergenerational effects, as undernourished women are more likely to give birth to low-birth-weight babies who face higher risks of infections and growth failure. This creates a vicious cycle that hampers the cognitive and physical development of children, particularly those in poverty-stricken or marginalized communities.

POSHAN Abhiyaan: A Comprehensive Approach

The POSHAN Abhiyaan, launched as part of India's commitment to improving nutrition, targets children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The mission focuses on increasing nutrition awareness and addressing malnutrition through a series of interventions, such as improving hygiene, promoting breastfeeding, and providing nutrition supplements. The scheme's outreach includes over 100 crore nutrition sensitization activities, benefiting 10 crore individuals.

The programme is supported by multiple initiatives, such as the ‘Ayush4Anganwadi' project, which introduces nutri-gardens and medicinal plants in Anganwadi centres to promote holistic nutrition. The ‘Mission POSHAN 2.0' strategy, announced in 2021, aims to strengthen the nutritional content, delivery, and outreach in 112 aspirational districts. Additionally, the ‘POSHAN Tracker' app helps monitor the progress of nutritional interventions by collecting real-time data on the prevalence of stunting and wasting.

Despite these efforts, the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted nutritional programs, with millions of children missing out on vital midday meals and supplementary nutrition at Anganwadis. The disruptions further deepened the challenges of ensuring adequate nutrition, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Addressing Gaps and Strengthening Implementation

While POSHAN Abhiyaan has made strides, the effective implementation of the program is hindered by inconsistent fund utilization across states. By March 2022, only 66% of the allocated funds had been spent, with discrepancies between states. To accelerate progress, India needs to improve fund management and ensure that resources are effectively deployed in high-need areas.