Smriti Irani: 'Menace of malnutrition needs a humane solution'

Smriti Irani, the Union Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD), while addressing the fifth National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges on Thursday stated that the menace of malnutrition can be tackled through a humane solution. According to a press release from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Irani stated that to develop a humane solution, "the economic benefits of investing in nutrition have to be highlighted and propagated." Speaking about the World Bank Global Nutrition Report, 2018 that revealed that malnutrition costs India at least USD 10 billion annually in terms of illness, death, and lost productivity. This is leading to a delay in improving human developments, further reducing childhood mortality.

On POSHAN Abhiyaan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched POSHAN (Nutrition) scheme in 2018. According to reports, the scheme aims to reduce levels of malnutrition and other related problems by ensuring to increase several nutrition-related schemes in the country. Speaking about the scheme, the WCD Minister stated that "POSHAN is an exercise for life for all citizens and should not be limited to just women and children." Irani further thanked PM Modi for taking up the subject of POSHAN in his radio broadcast show, Mann Ki Baat in August this year. 

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Irani's suggestions on POSHAN

According to the press release, Irani suggested that to acknowledge the unsung heroes of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, a system of ranking of states on health and nutritional parameters should be developed. She further urged NITI Aayog to develop a framework for the states. She also suggested that the process of ranking should involve citizens and civil society. The release further revealed that "along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Deendayal Research Institute is developing a POSHAN atlas to map the crops and food grains grown in different regions of the country because the solution to tackling malnutrition lies in promoting regional cropping patterns and embracing local food that is rich in protein."

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(WITH ANI INPUTS)