India Has Taken Swift Action To Reduce Malnutrition Rates: UN

Last updated on July 11th, 2022 at 10:37 am

The United Nations recently said that India has taken rapid steps to improve malnutrition rates. The Indian govt. is running massive food security & anti-poverty programs.

The United Nations recently said that India has taken rapid steps to improve malnutrition rates. According to a report released by the United Nations, between 2006 and 2016, stunting among children under 5 years of age in the country decreased from 48% to 38%.

The government has massive food security and anti-poverty programs. In 2016 India moved away from dependence on food aid to become a net food exporter. 

With a five-fold increase in foodgrain production, it increased from 50 million tonnes in 1950-51 to about 250 million tonnes in 2014-15.  

The government launched several programs to double the income of farmers by 2022. These try to remove the barriers to higher agricultural productivity especially in rainfed areas. 

These include National Food Security Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Integrated Schemes on Oilseeds, Pulses, Palm Oil and Maize (ISOPOM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, e-Marketplace, as well as large-scale irrigation and development of the country by 2017. 

Including soil and water harvesting programs to increase the gross irrigated area from 90 million hectares to 103 million hectares. 

According to the UN report, the Indian government has also taken important steps to tackle malnutrition in the last two decades, such as the introduction of mid-day meals in schools, anganwadi system to provide rations to pregnant and lactating mothers, and the poverty line. 

Introduced subsidized public distribution system etc. for the people living below poverty line. The United Nations Priority Group has partnered with the government to enhance nutrition services to address the associated nutrition and livelihood challenges in India and to ensure that vulnerable groups are not left behind.