The government has identified 113 most backward districts across the country for a focussed strategy against undernutrition, a senior government official said here today.
The list includes 27 districts from UP, 18 from Bihar and 12 from MP.
These districts will be required to improve nutritional outcomes by two to three per cent per year till 2020, said Secretary, Women and Child Development Ministry, Rakesh Srivastava.
"The poor levels of nutrition has been viewed with a lot of concern in the highest level of government. The PM has also given directions that we should concentrate on 100 most backward districts in the country," Shrivastava said at a press briefing.
The ministry will hold a meeting tomorrow with collectors, chief medical officers, child development project officers (CDPOs) and other local authorities from these 113 districts to evolve a strategy to reduce stunting, he added.
Collectors will be required to regularly monitor and review the implementation of various schemes which have a bearing on nutrition or health such as Integrated Child Development (ICDS) Scheme, National Health Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission, among others.
The government also plans to introduce a ranking system for states and districts on the basis of nutrition levels.
The Centre is also likely to institute a reward system for local administrations to encourage them to achieve their nutritional goals.
According to National Family Health Survey 4, nearly every third child in India is undernourished -- underweight (35.7 per cent) or has stunted growth (38.4 per cent). About 21 per cent of children under five years are wasted (low weight).
Moreover, the NFHS-4 data indicates that every second child is anaemic (58.4 per cent).
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