Food fortification standards operationalised by FSSAI to address malnutrition in the country: Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 (2005-06) carried out by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, 42.5% children under 5 years of age are underweight and 48% are stunted. The present available data of NFHS-4 (2015-16) shows a decreasing trend in underweight and stunting. .

The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Departments through State Governments/UT Administrations to address one or other aspect related to nutrition in the country. This Ministry is implementing Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, and Maternity Benefit Programme as direct targeted interventions to address the problem of malnutrition among women and children. .

Further, the Group of Secretaries on “Education & Health – Universal Access and Quality” has, inter-alia, identified fortification of food items like salt, edible oil, milk, wheat and rice with iron, folic acid, Vitamin-D and Vitamin-A as one of the measures to address the issue of malnutrition in the country and accordingly the standards for fortification of foods with these nutrients have been operationalized in the country by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI). .

Additionally, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Ministry, through its regional field units, is engaged in conducting training programmes in nutrition, in addition to advocacy towards generating awareness through nutrition education programmes on the importance of healthy balanced diets especially through the use of locally available foods, mass awareness campaigns and use of electronic and print media. .

The main aim of all these activities is to improve nutritional outcomes and bring down the level of malnutrition in the country especially amongst women and children. .

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha today.

Courtesy: pib.nic.in