What do you understand by malnutrition? Discuss the role of various nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions to address the problem of malnutrition in the country.

Malnutrition is the unavailability or inaccessibility or unaffordability of nutritious food in sufficient quantity. Role of Nutrition-specific/sensitive interventions: → PM POSHAN scheme: to provide mid-day meals to students fill class 8, has to better nutrition outcomes for students and retention in schools, POSHAN VATIKA for fresh, local veggies. Issues: lack of social audits, drop-outs after class 5 when scheme stops, caste based discrimination in kitchens, false home ration not given when cooked meals were not given.

Fortification of Rice: impowered iron / folic acid content to prevent anaemia. Included in PDS. → National Food security Act 2013, PDS - free 5kg foodgrains (rice, wheat, cereal grains) to poor. Improved food security. Demerits: Problems with nation card portability, nutrition deficit as it focuses on cereals. → ICDS - Anganwadi centres: fresh cooked meal / false home ration for mothers and infants. India is still far behind in achieving the goal of zero hunger (SDG-2) due to presence of poverty, high prevalence of anaemia, stunting & wasting among children.

— Ritu Goyal · AIR 223