Failing on Food- Relevance for UPSC Exam
- GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.
PM POSHAN Scheme– Context
- Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the extension of the PM POSHAN Scheme until 2025-26.
- This extension comes at a critical time when real income declines and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the ability of families to ensure good nutrition.
Status Renewable Energy in India- A Report by Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
Status of Malnutrition in Children- Findings of the NFHS-5
- National Family Health Survey-5 released its first phase report for 22 States and Union Territories in December 2020.
- Key findings-
- Childhood stunting rose in 13 States,
- There was a high prevalence of anaemia among children and women, and
- Wasting was a serious concern in 12 States.
- The slippage over the previous survey period exposes the worsening scourge of malnutrition, threatening to deprive millions of children of fully productive adult life.
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)- About, Composition and Key Functions
PM POSHAN Scheme- Key Features
- Centrally supported hot meal programs in Government and Government-aided schools, covering 11.8 crore children, will be supplemented with nutritional elements in identified aspirational districts and areas with high anaemia.
- The scheme is proposed to be extended to pre-primary children.
- The PM POSHAN Scheme provides for-
- Social audit,
- Creation of school nutritional gardens to source fresh produce,
- Involvement of farmer-producer organizations as providers, and
- Lays emphasis on local food traditions.
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PM POSHAN Scheme- Way Forward
- Government should increase budgetary outlays and provide measurable standards for evaluating the outcome of the scheme.
- While some child growth metrics such as stunting require a longer window to measure, problems such as anaemia and low weight lend themselves to speedy amelioration.
- The Government must demonstrate that Saksham Anganwadi-Mission POSHAN 2.0 is fiscally stronger than its erstwhile component parts.
- Saksham Anganwadi-Mission POSHAN 2.0- it amalgamates the POSHAN Abhiyan and schemes covering anganwadis, crèches and adolescent girls.
- Nutritional planning: the renewed nutritional plan should introduce a greater diversity of diets that compensates for micronutrient and protein deficiency.
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Conclusion
- Strong supplementation of nutrition at school, in the community, and at childcare centres, is important, especially when food inflation and pandemic-induced income declines have depressed essential consumption.
Social and Emotional Learning- Empathy Through Education