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<ul><li>The Indian government has asked schools — both in rural and urban areas — to set up <keyword id="769027" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="nutrition-gardens">nutrition gardens</keyword> to address undernourishment. </li><li>The initiative is aimed at promoting experiential learning at schools which instills the habit of growing vegetables and fruits. </li><li>Recently, the government added staple grains and vegetables to the <keyword id="50851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mid-day-meal">mid day meal</keyword> menu as the preferred food choice. </li><li>In India, over one third of the children below the age of five are stunted while over 40% are anaemic, Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS).</li></ul>While India’s economic slowdown is hurting the children the most with starvation, the government has asked schools — both in rural and urban areas — to set up <a href="https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/SNG_Guidelines.pdf">nutrition gardens</a> to address undernourishment. The initiative is aimed at promoting experiential learning at schools and instill the habit of growing vegetables and fruits in students. According to the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), eating a good diet is relative to the learning abilities of children. “They can provide fruit and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, add nutritional value to Mid-Day meals and increase the variety,” the guidelines said. In 1925, the Indian government introduced the Mid-day meal programme for underprivileged children to improve nutrition levels. The country has over 1.1 million government schools. And the move will especially benefit children from rural schools. Most of the meals of children is rich in grains which is subsidized, but they lack the key source of vitamins-vegetables. Now, the government too made a few amendments to its mid day meal menu, adding staple grains and vegetables among the preferred choices for meals. The mid day meal programme <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/education/mhrd-guidelines-soon-for-kitchen-gardens-in-govt-schools/article27003720.ece">covers 94.6 million children</a> across schools in India, and employs 2.5 million cooks and helpers, says BusinessLine. <keyword id="6378239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malnutrition">Malnutrition</keyword> in India According to the government’s <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/5-indian-children-overweight-show-early-signs-of-diabetes-high-cholesterol/">Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS)</a>, malnutrition among children caused several diseases including diabetes, <keyword id="22984" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="hypertension">hypertension</keyword> and chronic kidney disease. In India, over a third of the children below the age of five are stunted while over 40% are anaemic, the report highlighted. In 2018, India recorded the highest number of stunted children at 48.2 million — all due to malnutrition. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/indian-economic-slowdown-is-leaving-its-infants-hungry-as-only-10-are-given-acceptable-diet/articleshow/71610005.cms">Indian economic slowdown is leaving its infants hungry as only 10% are given acceptable diet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-third-of-indian-children-will-be-stunted-by-2022-thanks-to-malnutrition/articleshow/69986703.cms">A third of Indian children will be stunted by 2022, thanks to malnutrition</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/poor-diet-obesity-and-climate-change-strongly-linked-lancet-report/articleshow/67722970.cms">Climate change, obesity, and malnutrition are strongly linked: Lancet report</a>

Indian schools to set-up vegetable gardens and turn mid-day meals nutritious

India has emerged as the world’s fastest growing economy. However, Asia’s third largest economy just ranked 97th among 118 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) released by the <keyword id="108578" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Food-Policy-Research-Institute">International Food Policy Research Institute</keyword> (<keyword id="6557928" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ifpri">IFPRI</keyword>). This puts the country behind even <keyword id="6354759" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword>, <keyword id="41896" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Iran">Iran</keyword>, <keyword id="6355112" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Iraq">Iraq</keyword>, and <keyword id="6354767" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nigeria">Nigeria</keyword> in the hunger map. 
 
India’s policy addressing hunger and malnutrition in all age groups has a feast of questions and a famine of answers. India’s hunger, being worse than any sub-Saharan country, needs crisis management and a long term vision. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">ALSO READ: Excise duty in cigarette hiked. Tobacco farmers in India are struggling to make ends meet</a> 
 Be it <keyword id="4227644" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="manohar-das">Manohar Das</keyword> of <keyword id="4227647" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tewri">Tewri</keyword> village in <keyword id="6360371" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jharkhand">Jharkhand</keyword>, who works in hundred days of wage-employment or <keyword id="4227646" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="shib-baksha">Shib Baksha</keyword> of <keyword id="4227645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="amlasol">Amlasol</keyword> village in <keyword id="61773" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Midnapore">West Midnapore</keyword> district of <keyword id="6357783" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal">West Bengal</keyword>, who works as contract labour at nearby village, the thin line that connects them is the ignorance about ‘<keyword id="2209492" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Sarkar">Modi Sarkar</keyword>’. The only thing they understand by the government is getting staples at Rs 2/kg and free goodies. However, staples alone can’t fulfill nutritional needs, as a result they end up with stunted growth and other diseases. Not everyone is as lucky as them. Their neighbours, unable to procure <keyword id="49514" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpl">BPL</keyword> (below poverty level) identity cards and Ration Cards aren’t entitled to these basic facilities and have to starve most of the days. Only feast they can think of is ant eggs roast during the scorching summer months. 
 
 
 
India’s overall GDP growth is expected to end at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">7.1% this financial year</a>, as compared to 4.6% two years back. While food still counts as the basic requirement of human existence, India is a country that not only produces enough, but ironically, there is never enough for its ever growing population to eat. Funnily, while millions go hungry, for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">India storage of surplus food</a> has always been a problem. 
 
 
 
India’s hunger-management disaster 
While development in many sectors is acknowledged, what is lesser known is that India has also made considerable progress on many social fronts, such as fertility decline, expansion of schooling and bridging the gender gap in education, especially at the primary and lower secondary levels. However, there is one <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">area of human development</a>, where India has been a disaster: tackling hunger and malnutrition. 
 
Child malnutrition rates in India are extraordinarily high- among the highest in the world, with nearly one-half of all children under 3 years of age being either underweight or stunted. Indeed, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">child malnutrition rates </a>are higher in India than in many countries of sub-Saharan <keyword id="12925" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Africa">Africa</keyword>, even though income levels are significantly higher and levels of infant and child mortality are lower in India. 
 
 
 
Pediatric malnutrition Prevalence of child malnutrition in India has remained stubbornly high even after nearly a half-century of respectable agricultural productivity growth and two decades of post-reform economic growth and prosperity in the country. Adding more support to the view that child malnutrition is weakly correlated with income is the finding that among children of mothers with 10 or more years of schooling as well as mothers from the top income quintile, around one-quarter are underweight. Even in a relatively prosperous and dynamic state like <keyword id="6354766" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gujarat">Gujarat</keyword>, child malnutrition rates have been stagnant over the past decade. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">ALSO READ: HOW INDEPAY IS MAKING RURAL INDIA CASHLESS</a> 
 The <keyword id="121300" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Family-Health-Survey">National Family Health Survey</keyword> (NFHS) found that a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">significant number of adults</a> in India suffer from malnutrition. Almost 58 per cent of pregnant women aged 15-49 were found to be anaemic. The Global Food Security Index also revealed that Indians lack adequate quantities of iron, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">Vitamin A and protein in their diets</a>. 
 
 
 
“Half of the children who die before five years of age have malnutrion as a cause in their pathogenesis. If we look at proportion of weight at birth, 23 per cent of children weigh less than 2.5 kg, which is below normal. This low birth weight has its reason in the womb, which is where they are malnourished already before being born. Low birth weight increases over time and so by the time they are three-years-old, half the children are malnourished. Because of poor sanitation we have widespread <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">faecal oral contamination</a>. Water and food sources have high degrees of contamination and it results in diarrhoea and other gastro intestinal illnesses, which increases the child mortality rate,” said renowned public health specialist and activist Dr <keyword id="43944" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Binayak-Sen">Binayak Sen</keyword>. 
 
 
 
State of famine 
In 1943, three million people died in the infamous <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">Bengal famine</a>. There was no shortage of grain in <keyword id="6356978" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengal">Bengal</keyword> at that time, yet people had nothing to eat. Interpreting the Famine of 1943,<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841"> Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen </a>suggested that the reason for it was the breakdown of the social arrangement in distributing food. To put the matter in a world context, every three seconds somewhere around the world, a child dies of causes related to avoidable malnutrition. "In those three seconds, the world armaments industry spends 120,000 USD in order to keep the system responsible safely in place,” Binayak Sen told <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>. 
 
 
 
Ignorant policies that do the most harm Skyrocketing prices of daily food items spell more woe for the people, who are already paying "too much" to survive. International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (<keyword id="1367836" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IFAD">IFAD</keyword>) Rural Poverty Report-2011 states, “While international food prices have declined since mid-2008, they are still substantially higher than prior to the price surge, and they are likely to remain at 2010 levels or higher for the next decade.” The report has suggested that about 100 million of world’s rural and urban people have to remain hungry. 
 “It will remain high, the era of cheap food is over," said <keyword id="669006" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Richard-Mahapatra">Richard Mahapatra</keyword>, managing editor of Down to <keyword id="6359982" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="earth">Earth</keyword>. "This is because productivity of agriculture is low and thus impacts production. This is the supply side issue. Also the rainfed areas that contribute a signifcant amount of foodgrain is not getting the policy focus. Even though the new second Green <keyword id="24385" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="revolution">Revolution</keyword> is aimed at that, it seems to be flawed. Now, the demand side. Demand is increasing but we don't have robust distribution mechanism. So, it creates further price rise. Also, there is huge diversion of agricultural lands to other uses. Combined with low productivity, less lands and absence of distribution mechanism, we are set for high price rise.” 
 Due to the PDS (<keyword id="89442" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Public-distribution-system">Public Distribution System</keyword>) and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">public wage programmes</a> starvation deaths have definitely come down, he contended. Often we call cheap food grain programmes as populist. They are indeed popular as poor find them useful and their starvation is avoided with this entitlement. 
 
 
 
Adult malnutrition 
“Roughly 33-35 per cent of the entire Indian population have a BMI below 18.5, which is indicative of calorie malnutrition. They aren't getting enough food to eat. More than one-third of India is on a chronic basis not getting proper food to eat. Low BMI is also restricting people’s immunity,” said Binayak Sen. 
 “Without addressing nutritional status, there can be no adequate development. Food Security Act does nothing for betterment of nutritional status of the poeple as such. <keyword id="250148" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Bill">The Bill</keyword> is like 'something is better than nothing'. Five kilos of wheat per person per month make two chapattis per day. With two chapatis the nutritional question isn’t answered. This terrible nutritional deficit is yielding polarization in society,” he added. 
 
Urban malnutrition 
In villages, people stay in close bond with each other, who can be approached for help in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">times of crisis</a>. Migrating people in cities start living in slums and ghettos, where they have to live with people unknown and untrustworthy. Moreover, people fight here to make ends meet, which actually leads to self-centric attitude. 
 
Red corridor hunger 
“People who are in chronic situation and stable famine are able to withstand only because of their access to natural resources like land, water and forest," opined Binayak Sen. "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">Access to this resources was unrestricted</a>. Designating the common properties as commodities that can be owned by corporates is restricting poeple’s right to access and in a way right to live. Any form of resistance is labelled as insurgency. First they try civil ways and then take recourse in military measures. People have to confront. Application of eminent domain needs to be questioned. Under 5th schedule, govt has to ensure people’s access to natural resources but there is not a single instances of government intervening.” 
 
“They have mapped it as red corridor but poeple’s deprivation hasn't been mapped yet," said Sen. 
 
"We need to relook at the arm forces and UAPA laws. Whole discourse in election has become restricted to attitudes to development. Development is about accessing resources. Nobody is saying there are vital issues involved. What is going to happen to the poeple whose right has been denied? State will not be thwarted in its course. There needs to be a contestaion in the level of people. They need to raise the issue.” 
 
Business Insider’s Take 
Agriculture contributes around 16 per cent to<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841"> India’s GDP</a>; it is coming down over the years. But still 60 per cent people depend on this. What does this mean? Is it that it is reliable as a source of livelihood or people don't have any other source thus depend on agriculture? In both the cases, shifting people out of agriculture is going to be a tough challenge. Industries or the service sectors have their own limitation and can't absorb such a huge number of people. Strategically, this will be a blunder as we kill out food self-sufficiency.

BI Investigation: India’s food nightmare is killing millions of
children across the country every day

<ul><li>Several poor families have lost their livelihoods during this pandemic, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52210888">leaving at least 115 </a>million <keyword id="6354493" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="children">children</keyword> at the risk of <keyword id="6378239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malnutrition">malnutrition</keyword>. </li><li>However, according to Economist Mohan Guruswamy, the decline in the next quarter is<a href="https://twitter.com/fayedsouza/status/1300487337739055104"> going to be horrendous.</a> </li><li>Experts say while we control <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword>, we should not forget the development of other health issues and should continue to <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-causes-68-of-under-5-deaths-in-india/">pay attention to them as well. </a> </li></ul>In India, the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic forced tens of thousands of children to go to sleep on an empty stomach. Several poor families lost their livelihoods, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52210888">leaving at least 115 </a>million children at the risk of malnutrition. And, the latest GDP number isn’t comforting. Economists believe India’s worsening economy — <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/gdp-growth-at-23-9-in-q1-worst-economic-contraction-on-record/articleshow/77851891.cms">which saw a -23.9% dip in GDP in three months</a> — is going to push more people under poverty and is also going to affect the country’s progress in reducing malnutrition. "What will happen is more people will lose jobs, and they'll lose hope. Hunger will increase, child malnutrition will increase, and more people will be pushed into poverty." Santosh Mehrotra, Professor of Economics and Chairperson, Centre for Informal Sector and Labour Studies, <a href="https://twitter.com/fayedsouza/status/1300491428003364864">JNU said in an interview</a>. Prof Mehrotra believes the economy will shrink further and which will reduce daily wages in rural areas. People will come to urban cities to find work, but due to a lack of jobs in the market, we will see a lot more beggars on the streets. However, according to Mohan Guruswamy, the decline hasn’t begun yet and the decline in the next quarter is<a href="https://twitter.com/fayedsouza/status/1300487337739055104"> going to be horrendous.</a> Guruswamy heads the Centre for Policy Alternative and has worked as an adviser to the Finance Ministry in 1998. COVID-19 brings India’s little progress to a halt Over the last few years, India was able to make a little progress in its fight against malnutrition, with a significant decline in child mortality rate. Between 2000 and 2017, India’s under-5 mortality rate (USMR) declined by 49% from 83 deaths per 1000 live births in 2000 to 42 deaths in 2017. There were 1.04 million under-five deaths in 2017, against 2.24 million in 2000, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2820%2930471-2">according to the latest research published in the Lancet. </a> The mortality data becomes a crucial indicator as <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-causes-68-of-under-5-deaths-in-india/"> 68% of under-five deaths in India are due t</a>o inaccessible proper meals or maternal and child malnutrition. If this progress were to continue, India would have met its Sustainable Goal of reducing under-five mortality to reduce to 25% by 2030. However, the progress came to a halt after the COVID-19 lockdown forced millions of children to stay out of school. For thousands of children in rural areas, this also means they won’t be able to get <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-could-cost-childrens-health-lives-for-years-after-covid-crisis-experts-warn/">food under the Mid-Day meal programme.</a> The World Health Organisation <a href="http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/nutrition-infocus/feeding-babies-and-young-children-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.htmles,%20protein%20and%20milk">advised </a>people to give fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, protein, and milk to young children and infants during the pandemic. But, migrant labourers and other poor families could not afford to buy fruits and milk every day. Even getting by with a decent meal everyday was becoming a struggle. “I can only give them what I can afford,” a worker<a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-could-cost-childrens-health-lives-for-years-after-covid-crisis-experts-warn/"> told IndiaSpend. </a> Malnutrition perpetuates the vicious cycle of intergenerational undernutrition that results in a high incidence of babies born with low birth weight, more susceptible to infections, more likely to experience growth failure, reflected in high levels of child undernutrition and anaemia, Dr. Sunil Rajpal, Associate Professor, Health Economist, IIHMR University, Jaipur told Business Insider India. Experts say while we control COVID-19, we should not forget the development of other health issues and should continue to <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/malnutrition-causes-68-of-under-5-deaths-in-india/">pay attention to them as well. </a> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/rise-in-work-from-anywhere-will-lead-to-more-outsourcing-thats-an-opportunity-for-tcs-infosys-and-hcl-tech/articleshow/77864248.cms">Rise in 'work from anywhere' will lead to more outsourcing — that's an opportunity for TCS, Infosys and HCL Tech</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/ambani-vs-damani-indias-635-billion-retail-ring-will-see-the-countrys-two-richest-men-battle-with-different-strategies/articleshow/77846555.cms">Ambani vs Damani ⁠— India’s $635 billion retail ring will see the country’s two richest men⁠ battle with different strategies</a>

COVID-19 has added a layer to malnutrition crisis in India

<ul><li>The Women and Child Development (WCD) and Education Ministries are working in a coordinated way to meet the Prime Minister's vision of providing nutritious meals to the students in government schools. </li><li>The Prime Minister had in 2018 launched 'Poshan Abhiyaan'-- a robust scheme which has been playing an important role in eliminating malnutrition from the country. </li><li>On this 'Poshan Maah 2020', Modi's government planned to focus on an intensive campaign across the country for the holistic nourishment of children with severe acute malnutrition, Union Home Minister <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-shah">Amit Shah</keyword> said in a statement. </li></ul>Milk will soon be an integral part of the <keyword id="6467547" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Midday-Meal">midday meal</keyword> scheme to ensure proper nutrition to all students in government schools across the country, which is in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aim to make a malnutrition-free India. The Women and Child Development (WCD) and Education Ministries are working in a coordinated way to meet the Prime Minister's vision of providing nutritious meals to the students in government schools. All the officials linked to the departments concerned dealing with the policies have been directed by both the ministries on the 3rd 'Rashtriya Poshan Maah' to expedite changes in <keyword id="115962" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="midday">midday</keyword> meal by including milk soon after the schools resume functioning with attendance by children. The Prime Minister had in 2018 launched 'Poshan Abhiyaan'-- a robust scheme which has been playing an important role in eliminating malnutrition from the country. On this 'Poshan Maah 2020', Modi's government planned to focus on an intensive campaign across the country for the holistic nourishment of children with severe acute malnutrition, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a statement. In this regard, an official, requesting anonymity, told IANS that the Education Ministry may come up with a revised menu for midday meals scheme, that will include milk as an integral component. All the state government's have been told to implement the new midday meal policy which includes milk. Earlier, the then HRD Ministry had revised its midday meal policy in 2016. In order to give better quality food to children in schools where midday meals are provided, the HRD has revised its norms, that include milk as a necessary supplement. WCD Minister <keyword id="6612" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smriti-Irani">Smriti Irani</keyword> on Monday assured Vice-President <keyword id="8563926" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="m-venkaiah">M Venkaiah</keyword> Naidu that the central government would consider recommending to all the states to "include milk in the midday meal scheme". Irani's assurance came after Naidu earlier in the day suggested to her to add milk in breakfast or midday meals of children to improve nutritional level. The Vice President spoke with Irani on the 3rd Rashtriya Poshan Maah aimed at contributing towards a malnutrition-free India. An official in the Education Ministry told IANS that all students from Classes 1 to 8 in all government schools will be given 200 ml milk every day along with the midday meals. As per the official, this policy as is similar to the one issued in 2016 and then HRD Ministry direction to states in 2018 in which many loopholes were reported in its implementation. The states were earlier also directed to include milk and milk products in the midday meals so that these items could be procured from cooperative milk unions or federations. The Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department also took up the issue with the state Chief Secretaries on December 15, 2017, requesting them to consider supplying milk and milk products through their network under midday meals scheme of the Centre. Karnataka, <keyword id="6355554" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Madhya-Pradesh">Madhya Pradesh</keyword>, Haryana, Puducherry, and Gujarat have confirmed supply of milk through schools but some states with higher surplus stocks of milk powder like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab are yet to decide in this regard. Almost two decades have passed since the midday meal became a part of the daily routine in government schools across the country. The central government had received complaints earlier on about inclusion of milk in midday meals. As per government norms, every child should receive 150-200 ml milk. However, there have been complaints that one litre of milk was mixed in a bucketful of water to serve to more than 80 children in a school in rural Uttar Pradesh. Some videos have also gone viral on the social media regarding the said incident. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/us-magazine-fortune-released-its-annual-40-under-40-list-of-most-influential-people-under-the-age-of-40/slidelist/77906566.cms">Isha and Akash Ambani, Adar Poonawalla, Byju Raveendran — meet the Indians who made it to Fortune's ‘40 under 40’ list this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/interview-madhuri-dixit-and-dr-shriram-nene-are-looking-to-raise-funds-for-their-online-dance-school-and-a-new-healthtech-venture/articleshow/77930270.cms">This Indian scientist-turned drugmaker doubled his wealth to $6 billion during coronavirus pandemic</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/interview-madhuri-dixit-and-dr-shriram-nene-are-looking-to-raise-funds-for-their-online-dance-school-and-a-new-healthtech-venture/articleshow/77930270.cms">Madhuri Dixit and Dr Shriram Nene are looking to raise funds for their online dance school and a new healthtech venture</a>

Milk to be 'integral' part of midday meal scheme soon

Mumbai, May 14 () The poor in general, and those suffering from malnutrition among them, are at higher risks of contracting coronavirus infection, highlighting the weakness of the food and health systems across the world and more so in India, says a report.The Global Nutrition Report 2020 comes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic spreading at a much faster clip in the country, leaving over 78,000 infected and killing over 2,500. Tens of thousands of poor and daily wagers are on transit in most daring conditions across the country where public transport is still patchy, it said.The report notes that one in nine of the world's population or a whopping 820 million are hungry wherein India alone is the single largest contributor as most of them cannot access or afford healthy food, while one in three is overweight or obese.Ironically, the report said, both the under-fed poor/undernourished and the over-fed or the obese are at risks with the latter facing 10 times more risk from the deadly virus infection.It further said that following the spread of the pandemic, millions of households in formerly food-secure regions of the world have fallen into severe food insecurity, while in India various media reports say tens of millions of the migrant workers and their poor families face starvation as the lockdown lingers. The report also warns that the levels of hunger and malnutrition could double within the space of just a few weeks.Accordingly, the report calls for an overhaul of the world's food and health systems to tackle malnutrition, which has become a threat-multiplier given the coronavirus pandemic and its infectious grip over the poor which is now the leading cause of ill-health and deaths globally.The report says most of the poor across the world cannot access or afford healthy food primarily because of agricultural systems that favour calories over nutrition on one hand and on the other the ubiquity and low cost of highly processed foods."An increasing number of countries have the double burden of malnutrition, obesity and other diet-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer," notes the report.Venkatesh Mannar, a special adviser on nutrition to the Tata Trusts and the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition, two of the organisations that has funded the report, told that "the COVID-19 has exposed the deep inequality of our food system, wherein both under-nutrition and over-nutrition as visible from abject poverty and obesity have come to the fore."And both of these segments of the people are at higher risk to COVID-19 infections. In fact, the obese are 10 more at risk to COVID infection and fatality than the rest of the populations," says Mannar.Asked whether most of the close to 3 lakh dead or the 4.3 million infected with the virus are poor and obese, he answered in the affirmative saying many studies have established that the obese are among largest of the dead.This is also evident from the fact that a vast majority of the dead are from the richest nations like the US, Britain, France, Italy and Spain and the least from Africa. At over 83,300 dead, nearly a fifth of the total casualties are in the US alone.On the peculiar condition of India where a third of its 136 crore are poor, Mannar said the bigger problem in the country is not poverty now as the number of the poor and the malnourished is coming down, but over-nutrition as the rate with which the number of the obese is rising much faster.As the world's leading report on the state of global nutrition, Global Nutrition Report 2020 underlines the need to address food inequity to end malnutrition in all its forms as food and health inequity are the major causes for malnutrition -– both under-nutrition and over-nutrition or overweight/ obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases.On the risk of more coronavirus infections among the poor and under-/over-nourished, the report says, "undernourished have weaker immune systems, and are at greater risk of severe illness due to the pandemic. At the same time, poor metabolic health, including obesity and diabetes, is strongly linked to worse COVID-19 outcomes including the risk of death".Stressing that good nutrition is an essential part of an individual's defence against the virus, the report says nutritional resilience is a key element of a society's readiness to combat the pandemic threat."Focussing on nutritional well-being provides opportunities for establishing synergies between public health and equity, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. And the COVID-19 exposes the vulnerability and weaknesses of our already fragile food systems which is already stressed by increasing climate extremes," says the report.On India, the report notes that the country has had some success in reducing the number of underweight children and adolescents."Between 2000 and 2016, these rates declined from 66 to 58.1 per cent for boys and from 54.2 to 50.1 per cent for girls. But is still high compared to the average of 35.6 per cent for boys and 31.8 per cent for girls in Asia.Additionally, 37.9 per cent Indian children under-5 being stunted and 20.8 per cent wasted, compared to the Asia average of 22.7 per cent and 9.4 per cent, respectively, says the report.While diet-related illness continue to be an issue, with one in two women of reproductive age being anaemic, rates of overweight and obesity continue to rise, affecting almost one-fifth of adults with 21.6 per cent females and 17.8 per cent men being obese.Also, India is home to largest number of within-country malnutrition inequalities based on communities at the sub-national level, with UP having over 40 per cent children stunted on average and at 50.7 per cent among the poor. The same applies for overweight/obesity, where there are nearly double as many obese adult females than there are males -- 5.1 per cent against 2.7 per cent, the report said. BEN MKJ

Poor facing more risks from coronavirus due to malnutrition: Report

<keyword id="6355833" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="united-nations">United Nations</keyword>, More than 10 million <keyword id="6354493" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="children">children</keyword> in the <keyword id="343414" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Democratic-Republic">Democratic Republic</keyword> of the Congo (<keyword id="211907" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="DRC">DRC</keyword>), northeast Nigeria, the Central Sahel, <keyword id="294553" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Sudan">South Sudan</keyword> and <keyword id="44789" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yemen">Yemen</keyword> will suffer from <keyword id="3904688" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="acute-malnutrition">acute malnutrition</keyword> in 2021, the UN Children's Fund (<keyword id="56000" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF">Unicef</keyword>) said. All of these countries and regions are experiencing "dire humanitarian crises", while also grappling with intensifying food insecurity, the coronavirus pandemic and, with the exception of the Central Sahel, "a looming famine", the Unicef said in a statement on Wednesday. "For countries reeling from the consequences of conflicts, disasters and climate change, Covid-19 has turned a nutrition crisis into an imminent catastrophe," Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. "Families already struggling to feed their children and themselves are now on the brink of famine. We can't let them be the forgotten victims of 2020," she added. Severe acute malnutrition is the most extreme and visible form of under nutrition. Children with severe acute malnutrition have very low weight for their height and severe muscle wasting. It is a major cause of death in children under five, and its prevention and treatment are critical to child survival and development. Through 2020, in spite of Covid-19 challenges, Unicef and its partners continued to deliver lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable children and their families in the hardest to reach areas through adjustments on the existing programs to maintain and increase access. With the situation feared to worsen in 2021, Unicef called on humanitarian actors on the ground in these countries as well as the international community to urgently expand access to and support for nutrition, health and water and sanitation services for children and families. Unicef has appealed for more than $1 billion to support its lifesaving nutrition programs for children in countries affected by humanitarian crises over 2021. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-tata-steel-vedanta-adani-green-tata-motors-maruti-mm-dhfl-v-mart-indian-bank-and-others/articleshow/80038635.cms">Top stocks to watch — Tata Steel, Vedanta, Adani Green, Tata Motors, Maruti, M&amp;M, DHFL, V-Mart, Indian Bank, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-detects-14-new-cases-of-uk-covid-19-strain-putting-the-tally-at-20/articleshow/80020163.cms">India detects 14 new cases of UK COVID-19 strain, putting the tally at 20India detects 14 new cases of UK COVID-19 strain, putting the tally at 20</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/2021-could-finally-be-the-year-of-indias-tech-ipos-as-startups-like-zomato-delhivery-policybazaar-head-for-the-public-markets/slidelist/80019978.cms">2021 could finally be the year of India’s tech IPOs as startups like Zomato, Delhivery, Policybazaar head for the public markets</a>

Over 10 million children in Congo, Nigeria, Sudan and Yemen will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2021, UNICEF warns

<ul><li>India’s child nutrition program may have left out women and poor from the benefits under <keyword id="481348" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Integrated-Child-Development-Services">Integrated Child Development Services</keyword> (ICDS). </li><li>India is home to almost 31% of world’s stunted children with 46.6 million stunted children recorded last year, as per the Global Nutrition Report. </li><li>The program was particularly lagging in ‘high malnutrition’ states — Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.</li></ul>A government-run program to curb undernutrition in India may have <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/indias-child-nutrition-programme-excludes-poorest-households-study/articleshow/68196603.cms">left out</a> less educated women and poorest households from accessing benefits of the nutrition program, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Launched in 1975, the program — Integrated Child Development Services — gained momentum in the country from 2006 to 2016. Overall, the program aims to foster children under the age of six years and pregnant and lactating women, providing food, education and healthcare facilities. With alarming levels of undernutrition in India, the program plays a key role — in 2015 it served an estimated 102 million women and children in the country. However, the study has shown that the program, initially aimed at disadvantaged castes and tribes, lagged in <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/fewer-gains-for-child-nutrition-plan-in-up-bihar-study-119022800193_1.html">high malnutrition states</a> of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Worryingly, it revealed that pregnant women with low education received far fewer services compared to other people. The study’s authors point to logistical challenges to reach these communities. "Even in better performing states, exclusion of poor could be due to challenges of reaching remote areas, despite attempts to close district-wise equity gaps or local challenges of exclusion within villages due to caste or location-based exclusion," research co-author Kalyani Raghunathan said in a statement to IANS. The study found improvement in the program’s services in four key areas — supplementary food, health and nutrition education, health check-up, and child-specific services. Childhood supplementary food service growth saw a jump of eight percentage points from 2006 to 2016. The program covered more than 50% in the central and southern states of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. India is home to<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/one-third-of-the-worlds-stunted-children-live-in-india/articleshow/66875512.cms"> almost 31%</a> of world’s stunted children at 46.6 million stunted children recorded last year, as per Global Nutrition Report. The study was the first to do an in-depth analysis on a national scale, study researcher Arindam Nandi<a href="http://v"> reportedly </a>said. With inputs from IANS See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/one-third-of-the-worlds-stunted-children-live-in-india/articleshow/66875512.cms">India has over 46 million stunted children — that's more than the population of Australia and Sri Lanka put together</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/half-of-childhood-cancer-cases-go-undiagnosed-says-a-lancet-study/articleshow/68195268.cms">Half of childhood cancer cases go undiagnosed, says a Lancet study</a>

India left out women from its largest child nutrition program: Study

<ul><li>India dropped seven spots to 102 in the global hunger index over the last decade, thanks to <keyword id="6361617" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change">climate change</keyword> and economic slowdown. </li><li>India’s rank improved to 102 from 103 last year — lowest among the South Asian countries. </li><li>According to the report, merely 10% of Indian infants are provided minimum acceptable diet. </li><li>Globally, at least one in every three children under five years of age is undernourished or overweight, <keyword id="56000" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF">UNICEF</keyword> said.</li></ul>Climate change and economic slowdown is hurting the most vulnerable of its citizens--infants. India dropped seven spots to 102 in the Global Hunger Index over the last decade. <keyword id="108578" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Food-Policy-Research-Institute">International Food Policy Research Institute</keyword> which comes out with the index has marked India as ‘serious’. According to the report, merely 10% of Indian infants are provided with minimum acceptable diet. It also shows that infants and children below the age of five suffer the most. The index takes into account parameters like mortality rate and inadequate height and weight. India’s rank is the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-falls-to-102-in-hunger-index-8-ranks-below-pakistan/articleshow/71606116.cms?from=mdr">lowest</a> amongst all South Asian countries and even Pakistan -- which crawled up to 94th place. “India’s child wasting rate is extremely high at 20.8%, the highest for any country in this report,” the <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/india-takes-the-low-rung-ranked-102-in-hunger-index-of-117-countries-119101501494_1.html">report</a> said.The states of Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra have the maximum share in wasting percentage, said the National Family Health Survey of 2015-16. Globally, at least one in every three children under five years of age is either undernourished or overweight, UNICEF said. Children were eating too little of the food they need and too much of what they don't need. It added that "poor diets are now the main risk factor for the global burden of disease", Efe news said. The top spots in the GHI include countries like Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey, Cuba and Kuwait. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-third-of-indian-children-will-be-stunted-by-2022-thanks-to-malnutrition/articleshow/69986703.cms">A third of Indian children will be stunted by 2022, thanks to malnutrition</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-left-out-women-from-its-largest-child-nutrition-program-study/articleshow/68201093.cms">India left out women from its largest child nutrition program: Study</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/poor-diet-obesity-and-climate-change-strongly-linked-lancet-report/articleshow/67722970.cms">Climate change, obesity, and malnutrition are strongly linked: Lancet report</a>

Indian economic slowdown is leaving its infants hungry as only 10% are given acceptable diet

New Delhi, Mar 2 () Dutch firm Royal DSM, plans to introduce its pre-mixed micro-nutrient daily home fortifier 'Nu-Shakti' in north India soon. Nu-Shakti is a first of its kind product category that is based on home fortification to enhance essential nutrients and vitamins without altering taste, odour or appearance of their daily food. Currently, Nu-Shakti products -- fortified rice and wheat flour kernels, fortified orange-flavoured beverage mix; and vitamins and mineral mix -- are being sold in Tamil Nadu alone. "It's been six months since we launched Nu-Shakti. We are still in a pilot stage and present only in Tamil Nadu right now. However, we are evaluating other markets in north India. We will finalise one of the northern states for the launch in a month,' DSM India Business Director Alok Kohli told . The product was first launched in Tamil Nadu because the severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children under age of five in the state was higher than the national average of 7.5 per cent, as per the National Family Health Survey, Kohli said. The fortified rice and atta kernels products are available at Rs 5 per sachet at present. The company has sold around 5,00,000 packs of these products so far and going forward the figures are expected to rise with increased awareness about fortification, he said. Kohli explained one sachet of fortified rice kernel is sufficient to mix with one kilo of traditional rice. It can be mixed with rice before cooking and store it else can be used while cooking rice. The same is for fortified atta (wheat flour) kernel. To address malnutrition in the country, the central government is working on a pilot scheme to sell fortified rice to the poor through ration shops at a subsidised rate. Founded in 1902, DSM Group has annual net sales of about 10 billion euro with approximately 23,000 employees and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. LUX DRR

Royal DSM plans to launch 'Nu-Shakti' home fortifier in north India

New Delhi, Feb 27 () FMCG majors HUL and Nestle have been jointly ranked first in the industry for their approach to nutrition in the 'India Access to Nutrition Spotlight Index'. They were followed by food and beverages major PepsiCo India, Britannia Industries and Coca-Cola India. The index is published by Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) and hosted by Access to Nutrition Foundation, an international not-for-profit organisation. ATNI report is published once in every three years and this is the second edition of India Spotlight Index. India was selected as a spotlight country as it has a rapidly developing food and beverages sector, a statement said. The initiative is supported by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of the UK and the Netherlands. This season, 16 largest companies in India's food and beverage sector were assessed with the aim to encourage these companies to improve their nutrition practices, it added. The other companies were Amul, Mondelez India, Mother Dairy, Parle Products, AAVIN, Adani Wilmar, Emami Agrotech, Hatsun Agro Product, ITC, Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (Nandini) and Marico Limited. "ATNI sees food and beverage companies in India showing their commitment to provide healthy food and engaging in a dialogue on how to support India's Eat Right Movement," ATNI Executive Director Inge Kauer said. Lifestyle changes in India have caused a shift in consumer habits -- from the consumption of traditional food, to more urban food habits consisting of packaged and processed foods, high in sugar, fat and salt. "In fact, India is among the top 10 consumers of fast food in the world. This, coupled with the fact that India is set to become the third largest consumer economy, presents an enormous opportunity for food and beverage companies to make nutrition a core part of their business plans, and to adopt comprehensive, public and commercial strategies to address issues related to the double burden of malnutrition in India," she said. KRH ABM

HUL, Nestle ranked first in nutrition index

<ul><li>The three greatest risks to the human health — undernutrition, obesity, and climate change — are rising because of common reasons, said a <keyword id="3270373" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lancet-report">Lancet report</keyword>. </li><li>The cost of undernutrition in Africa and Asia ranges from 4% to 11% of GDP. India is also suffering from Global Syndemic. </li><li>The fossil fuel and food industries, partly responsible for driving The Global Syndemic, receive more than $5 trillion in annual subsidies from governments. </li></ul>The three greatest threats to the human health around the world include undernutrition, obesity, and climate change, affecting most people and every country, warned a recent study by Lancet.K According to the report, the three ‘pandemics’ of under-nutrition, obesity and climate change, which it terms as a ‘syndemic’ are in part due to food and agriculture policies, transportation, urban design, land use system and subsidies provided to big food corporations and fossil fuel industry across many countries. “The fossil fuel and food industries that are responsible for driving ‘The Global Syndemic’ receive more than $5 trillion in annual subsidies from governments,” the report said. The report, "Lancet Commission on Obesity," studied 14 countries including India and recommends governments take on commercial interests and rethink global economic incentives within the food system. The study argues that <keyword id="6378239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malnutrition">malnutrition</keyword> in all its forms including undernutrition and obesity is the biggest health risk for humans, and leading cause of premature death globally. Obesity is estimated to affect two billion people globally leading to a death toll of as many as four million people in a year, warned the report. Not just this, it will also cost $2 billion annually to the global economy. And climate change will only worsen under-nutrition and obesity because of increased food insecurity as a result of extreme weather events, droughts, and shifts in agriculture. Foetal and infant under-nutrition is already known to raise the risk of adult obesity. India is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The country is home to almost a third of the world's stunted children, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/one-third-of-the-worlds-stunted-children-live-in-india/articleshow/66875512.cms">according</a> to a Global Nutrition Report. However, the stunting rates under five have fallen globally from 32.6%in 2000 to 22.2% in 2017. Globally, around 155 million children <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/malnutrition-lancet-commission-under-nutrition-obesity-climate-change-5557435/">suffer</a> due to stunting and 52 million are ‘wasted’. The combined cost of malnutrition in Africa and Asia ranges from 4% to 11% of GDP, said the report. Separately, India has also seen a sharp increase in the incidence of diabetes over the past few years. Across the country, around 65 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2016 in contrast to 26 million people in 1990. Out of these 65 million people, 35% were also affected by obesity. The frequency of overweight adults also surged to nearly 21% in 2016. "We are already late, sitting at the pinnacle and action is needed at the national level as well as ground level," Shifalika Goenka, Professor at Public Health Foundation of India, told IANS. "We need our own national monitoring framework with specific indicators which help monitor the targets at ground level for drivers of under nutrition, over nutrition and climate change." Meanwhile, a recent World Bank <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/obesity-malnutrition-2-sides-of-climate-change/story-hzeWRnuSSaJrsssbhafiDJ.html">report</a> pointed out that 148 million people in India will reside in severe climate change hotspots by 2050. The Lancet study calls for setting up of a Framework Convention on Food Systems (FCFS), similar to global conventions for tobacco control and climate change. It also warned that the economic burden of the “Global Syndemic is substantial and will have the greatest effect on the poorest of the 8∙5 billion people who will inhabit the earth by 2030.” (With IANS inputs) See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/culture/indians-love-food-so-much-that-most-of-them-just-wont-go-on-a-diet-survey/articleshow/67552032.cms">Indians love food so much that most of them just won’t go on a diet: Survey</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-food-regulator-has-kicked-off-the-new-year-with-a-set-of-new-food-standards/articleshow/67347633.cms">India’s food regulator has kicked off the new year with a set of new food standards</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/98-million-indians-will-have-diabetes-by-2030-lancet-study/articleshow/66735856.cms">98 million Indians will have diabetes by 2030: Lancet study</a>

Climate change, obesity, and malnutrition are strongly linked: Lancet report

<ul><li>India aims to end hunger by 2030, under its <keyword id="55804" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-development">Sustainable Development</keyword> goals. </li><li>Despite that, stunting in India has reduced by merely 1% annually, in the last ten years. </li><li>Nearly one-third (31.4%) of the children below five years of age in India will be stunted by 2022, according to a report by the United Nations and the Ministry of Statistics.</li></ul>India could be very far from its sustainability target to end hunger by 2030. Due to acute malnutrition among children aged between one to five years, nearly one-third (31.4%) of Indian children will be stunted by 2022, predicts a report by the United Nations and the Ministry of Statistics. A recent UN report says that the country should <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/314-of-indian-children-will-be-stunted-by-2022-report/article28138523.ece">reduce stunting by 2%</a> annually to reach its sustainability targets. The World Food Programme Report released this week says that stunting in India reduced by merely 1% annually since 2009. This is the slowest among the developing economies, including Asian countries. India is already home to almost 31% of the world's <keyword id="71213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stunted-children">stunted children</keyword> at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-left-out-women-from-its-largest-child-nutrition-program-study/articleshow/68201093.cms">46.6 million</a> recorded last year, says the Global Nutrition Report. “Despite India becoming self-sufficient in foodgrain production with a large increase in the production of rice, wheat, and other cereals, the per capita availability of these grains has not increased at the same level due to inequality, population growth, food wastage and losses, and exports,” spokesperson of World Food Programme Herve Verhoosel said according to <a href="https://scroll.in/latest/928410/in-india-31-4-children-under-the-age-of-five-will-be-stunted-by-2022-un-report">report</a>s. Child stunting has been the highest in states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Kerala, Goa, Puducherry, Daman &amp; Diu, Tripura and Andaman &amp; Nicobar have reached their sustainability goals. According to government think tank NITI Aayog, merely <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/81-of-all-infants-in-india-are-deprived-of-proper-nutrition-says-government-thinktank-niti-aayog/articleshow/68402172.cms">9% of infants</a> in India, children between 6 to 24 months of age, received proper nutrition. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-left-out-women-from-its-largest-child-nutrition-program-study/articleshow/68201093.cms">India left out women from its largest child nutrition program: Study</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/81-of-all-infants-in-india-are-deprived-of-proper-nutrition-says-government-thinktank-niti-aayog/articleshow/68402172.cms">81% of all infants in India are deprived of proper nutrition, says government thinktank NITI Aayog</a>

A third of Indian children will be stunted by 2022, thanks to malnutrition

New Delhi, Jan 9 () Vaccine major Serum Institute on Thursday said it has launched a new variant of its WHO prequalified rotavirus vaccine Rotasiil, called Rotasiil - Liquid.
 Available in a single dose tube, Rotasiil - Liquid can be directly administered in 2 ml dose orally, thus saving time as well as cold chain space. It can be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius for up to 24 months, Serum Institute of India said in a statement.
 Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhoea.
 Rotasiil - Liquid will be available across domestic and international markets. The initial production aim of the vaccine is around 25-30 million doses per annum, which will be augmented to over 80 million doses per annum, it added.
 "The new launch will propel us towards improving the health of our children and reduce hospitalization and conditions related with diarrhea such as malnutrition, delayed physical and mental development amongst children," Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla said.
 As per the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 215,000 children under five years of age die each year from vaccine preventable rotavirus infection globally, the statement said.
 In India, rotavirus diarrhoea is among the top ten causes of child morbidity and mortality in children, killing around 47,100 children under five years of age, it added. AKT ABM

You Searched For "Malnutrition in India" and got 13 results

Indian schools to set-up vegetable gardens and turn mid-day meals nutritious

Prerna Sindwani

BI Investigation: India’s food nightmare is killing millions of children across the country every day

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COVID-19 has added a layer to malnutrition crisis in India

BI India Bureau

Milk to be 'integral' part of midday meal scheme soon

IANS

Poor facing more risks from coronavirus due to malnutrition: Report

PTI

Over 10 million children in Congo, Nigeria, Sudan and Yemen will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2021, UNICEF warns

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India left out women from its largest child nutrition program: Study

BI India Bureau

Indian economic slowdown is leaving its infants hungry as only 10% are given acceptable diet

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Royal DSM plans to launch 'Nu-Shakti' home fortifier in north India

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HUL, Nestle ranked first in nutrition index

PTI

Climate change, obesity, and malnutrition are strongly linked: Lancet report

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A third of Indian children will be stunted by 2022, thanks to malnutrition

BI India Bureau

Serum Institute launches new rotavirus vaccine to prevent diarrhoea

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