HOW HUNGER CAME BACK TO HAUNT INDIA

Excellent study material for all civil services aspirants - begin learning - Kar ke dikhayenge!

HOW HUNGER CAME BACK TO HAUNT INDIA

---

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

---

• NFHS results: The results of National Family Health Survey 2019-20 for 10 big states were released recently, and the picture is dismal. Despite economic growth, health and nutrition indicators are slumping. (that's the seed of a major future problem then)
• Key argument: Experts say that stagnant spending on women and children is responsible. And even those few resources are not targeted well, as seen with corporate funding. Accessing budgets is tough due to bureaucratic hurdles.
• Historical data: Between NFHS-2 (1998-99) and NHFS-3 (2005-06), no improvement in child nutrition (underweight kids and stunted kids) was seen. The UPA-2 govt. brought the next survey NFHS-4 in 2015-16, after a ten years gap. 

1. Big improvement was seen in NFHS-4
2. On the Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (MPI), poverty had halved between NFHS-3 and 4
3. Experts said it was due to pressure to spend more on women and children
4. The NFHS-5 sadly shows that many of these results are now reversing
5. Living standards are rising, but anaemia, mortality and child nutrition has slipped
6. For many states where undernutrition was always concentrated (UP, MP, Rajasthan), the data are not released yet
7. As an example, of 127 indicators, Gujarat did better than Bihar on 81 (e.g. on women getting ante-natal checkups, deliveries in hospitals, etc.). But when it came to stunted or anaemic kids, or full immunization, or women with low BMI, both states are at same level! (shocking fact)
8. Gujarat is not at all a model state for well-being of women and children

• Key issues: Since 2014, two key schemes that are part of the NFSA - the ICDS and PMMVY - have been neglected in funding. [NFSA - National Food Security Act, ICDS - Integrated Child Dev. Services, PMMVY - PM Matru Vandana Yojana]

1. PMMVY - While women in organised sector get 6 months wage compensation as maternity benefits, but in the unorganised sector, they get a fixed amount neither pegged to minimum wages, nor indexed to inflation. The 2017 funding was 20% of what's needed by law, and cumbersome paperwork means many women are left out.
2. ICDS - The central funding stagnated since 2014 in nominal terms (declined from 0.15% of GDP to 0.10%). States' contributions to programmes like ICDS was raised by the 14th Finance Commission, so overall spend rose. Obligations are up, funding is low. (recall what happened to GST share of states)

• Corporates' role: The nutrition agenda has slowly been "hijacked" by corporates and international agencies like BMGF, UNICEF, IFPRI and others. The flagship programme is POSHAN (PM Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition), launched 2018.  [BMGF - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]

1. Moneys are spent on public awareness and education etc., to bring behavioural change in people
2. No state practically made any major progress in past 5 years (except Maharashtra where exclusive breast feeding for child's first six months went up from 57% to 71%)
3. Money is spent on giving smartphones to Anganwadi workers with a central software (App) called ICDS-CAS installed; sadly that App is broken down and not updated, and server / internet issues are common
4. The BMGF launched its own "Poshan" - Partnerships and Opportunities to Strengthen and Harmonize Actions for Nutrition
5. UNICEF is openly inviting private participation for "Impact4Nutrition" as 'good nutrition is good for business'

• Conflict of interest: So today, private funding (that they use for their own interests too) is not shunned but called "Win Win". More than 70% of Poshan Abhiyan funding was spent on ICT-enabled monitoring (incl. ICDS-CAS software). BMGF developed tht.

1. Rs.9000 cr allocated for ICDS-CAS in 2017 Dec. came half from GoI and rest from World Bank. 
2. Instead of spending on things whole health outcomes are well-known (nutritious food for kids, more ICDS staff, better salaries, cash support to lactating / pregnant women), moneys were spent on smartphones, software and large conferences!
3. Rs.9000 cr could have funded 150 eggs for 10 crore Anganwadi kids for one full year!

• Good intentions, poor execution: Flow of funds in these schemes is often too slow, as Anganwadi workers and helpers face it regularly. They are the one who train children to sit, eat by themselves, and live without mothers for few hours daily. Play activities come in too. Their salaries are quite low, and not paid in time. ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, helpers are in agitation mode now. Food supplies are hit as well (daal, oil, eggs). Both centre and states are responsible.
• First 1000 days: India needs to act urgently to ensure that the first 1000 days of a child's life get best nutrition and health support. Entire life's output depends on it. Year 2020 was a disaster as Anganwadis was closed mostly, and overall processes are hit (regn. of pregnancies, immunization, cash benefits, etc.). Government must get all these opened now, and restart school meals. Malls and cinema halls can wait, not these. But strangely, everyone is silent on what will hit India's future the most!

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

Join UPSC Self Prep course | Online Course (PT Gurukul)  | Covid Special Course | Join PT courses

* Content sourced from free internet sources (publications, PIB site, international sites, etc.). Take your own subscriptions. Copyrights acknowledged.