Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has addressed a question regarding nutrition for children, specifically concerning the "Learn to Eat Well" program and related initiatives. The response details India's efforts to improve nutrition through Mission Poshan 2.0, convergence with other ministries, awareness programs, and supplementary nutrition provisions. The statement was laid on the Table of the House on 08.08.2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Learn to Eat Well Program:**
* A high-level segment organized by UNESCO, UNEP, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
* Advocates for a lifecycle approach to nutrition integrated into lifelong learning systems.
* **Mission Poshan 2.0:**
* Launched by MWCD to reduce malnutrition and improve health through community engagement and behavioral change.
* Addresses malnutrition through a multisectoral approach involving food, health, water, sanitation, and education.
* Achieved through convergence amongst 18 Ministries/Departments under Mission Saksham Anganwadi.
* **Awareness and Healthy Food Promotion:**
* States/UTs advised to reduce added sugar and salt in Supplementary Nutrition Programs.
* Restriction advised on the use of foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS).
* Promotion of healthy lifestyle and dietary practices to combat obesity and non-communicable diseases.
* Development of 6 region-wise diet charts to promote regional diet diversity.
* **Community Mobilization and Awareness:**
* Community-Based Events (CBEs) are used to change nutritional practices.
* Poshan Pakhwada and Rashtriya Poshan Maah are celebrated annually since 2018.
* Over 140 crore outreach activities conducted on various thematic areas related to nutrition.
* **Supplementary Nutrition:**
* Provided to children (6 months to 6 years), pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls.
* Provided as per revised nutrition norms (January 2023) in Schedule II of the National Food Security Act, emphasizing diet diversity.
* Fortified rice is supplied to Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) to control anaemia.
* Emphasis on using millets at least once a week in meals at Anganwadi centers.
* Poshan Tracker Application offers counselling videos on key behaviors and services.
* **Funds Released:**
* A total of ₹20904.83 Crores was released to States/UTs under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 in FY 24-25 (Details in Annexure).
Impact Analysis:
Stakeholders impacted by the policy and their respective actions.
* **States/Union Territories:**
* *Impact:* Required to implement the guidelines and advisories related to reducing sugar/salt, avoiding HFSS foods, promoting regional diets, and conducting awareness activities.
* *Action Required:* Reduce sugar/salt in programs, restrict HFSS foods, promote diet diversity, conduct awareness programs, and utilize funds effectively.
* **Anganwadi Workers:**
* *Impact:* Frontline workers responsible for implementing supplementary nutrition programs, conducting CBEs, and disseminating nutrition-related information.
* *Action Required:* Conduct CBEs, provide supplementary nutrition, educate communities, and promote healthy dietary practices.
* **Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers, and Adolescent Girls:**
* *Impact:* Beneficiaries of supplementary nutrition programs and awareness initiatives aimed at improving their nutritional status.
* *Action Required:* Consume supplementary nutrition, adopt healthy dietary practices, and participate in awareness activities.
* **Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for overseeing the implementation of Mission Poshan 2.0, providing guidance to States/UTs, and monitoring progress.
* *Action Required:* Conduct regular consultations, monitor the implementation of guidelines, allocate funds, and track progress in reducing malnutrition.
Key Entities Referenced
Learn to Eat Well Programme: A nutrition program, specifically Learn to Eat Well: Biodiverse Diets and Youth as Agents of Change, discussed in the context of seminars and discussions on nutrition for children.
UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme, an organization involved with the Learn to Eat Well program.
Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD): The Indian government ministry responsible for women and child development, which launched Mission Poshan 2.0.
Mission Poshan 2.0: A program launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development for the reduction of malnutrition and improved health, wellness and immunity.
Mission Saksham Anganwadi: A mission mentioned alongside Poshan 2.0, aimed at addressing malnutrition through convergence among various ministries/departments.
National Food Security Act: A legal act that defines the supplementary nutrition norms and is used in providing nutrition to children and mothers
France: Location of the Nutrition for Growth Summit, where the Learn to Eat Well program was discussed.
Andhra Pradesh: One of the States/Union Territories in India that received funds under the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programs.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *286
TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025
LEARN TO EAT WELL PROGRAMME
*286. SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) Whether the Government has organized seminars and other
discussions/meetings on various topics/agendas regarding nutrition for
children including – Learn to Eat Well: Bio-diverse Diets and Youth as
Agents of Change a programme of UNEP, if so, the details thereof;
(b) Whether it signals a global shift in thinking that food and nutrition education
must go beyond counting calories/help school children make choices that
are good for themselves and the planet; and
(c) If so, the details of steps taken for providing balanced nutrition to children
along with corrective steps being taken and funds sanctioned and spent in
this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)
(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (C) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 286 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025
REGARDING “LEARN TO EAT WELL PROGRAMME”
(a) to (c): As per information available on the website of UNESCO, Learn to Eat
Well: Biodiverse Diets and Youth as Agents of Change was a high-level segment
organized by the UNESCO GEM Report, UNEP and the London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine on the sidelines of Nutrition for Growth Summit, France in
March 2025. The occasion reportedly saw the launch of a new paper, Learn to Eat
Well which advocates for a life-cycle approach to nutrition integrated into lifelong
learning systems, in and through schools, covering professional development drives
for nutrition and health workers, and empowering farmers and researchers to
promote biodiversity in food production. (https://unescochair-
ghe.org/2025/03/18/26-march-2025-education-for-nutrition-and-biodiversity/ )
The Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD) has launched Mission
Poshan 2.0 for reduction in malnutrition and for improved health, wellness and
immunity through activities like community engagement, outreach, behavioural
change, and advocacy. Nutrition goes beyond mere eating of food; it requires proper
digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients. This process is influenced by
factors like sanitation, education and access to safe drinking water. As malnutrition
requires a multi-sectoral approach involving dimensions of food, health, water,
sanitation and education, it is crucial to effectively address the issue of malnutrition
in a convergent manner. It is being addressed under Mission Saksham Anganwadi
and Poshan 2.0 by establishing cross cutting convergence amongst 18
Ministries/Departments.
The Ministry conducts regular consultations/ meetings with States/UTs like Chintan
Shivir, zonal meetings, APIP meetings etc. are held wherein discussions are held
on various issues related to improving nutritional status of women and children.
Further, to create awareness on healthy food and lifestyle choices, the ministry has
taken the following steps:
• States/UTs have been advised to reduce the use of added sugar and salt in
Supplementary Nutrition Program. It has been advised that refined sugar should
not be used and the only jaggery may be used for sweetening, if needed. The
use of jaggery may also be restricted to less than 5% of the total energy to avoid
excessive intake of discretionary calories. It has also been advised that use of
foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) should be avoided for all age and gender
groups.
• States/UTs have also been advised to conduct targeted awareness activities to
promote healthy lifestyle and dietary practices to combat obesity and non-
communicable diseases for officers, field functionaries, Anganwadi workers and
community at large. It has been advised that these efforts should focus on
reducing consumption of edible oils in daily diets, including reduction in intake of
Saturated and trans-fats.
• To promote regional diet diversity, 6 region-wise diet charts were developed,
viz., North, North-East, West, South, East and Central. The area-wise diet charts
are uploaded for dissemination on Ministry’s website in English and Hindi.• Diet diversity is an important strategy for achieving nutritional outcomes. Under
Mission Poshan 2.0, diet diversity is promoted through consumption of locally
grown wholesome foods. An important approach is through Poshan Vatikas
(Nutri gardens) where the benefits of locally grown and wholesome vegetables
and fruits can be easily passed onto women and children.
• Further, during the 7th Poshan Pakhwada (8-22 April 2025), a dedicated theme
“Healthy Life-style to address Obesity in Children” was adopted and over 1.14
crore community based sensitization activities were reported by the States/UTs
on the theme.
• Under this Mission, one of the major activities undertaken is Community
Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects
as adoption of good nutrition habit requires sustained efforts for behavioural
change. Community-Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy
in changing nutritional practices, and all Anganwadi workers are required to
conduct two CBEs every month. Under Jan Andolan, Poshan Pakhwada and
Rashtriya Poshan Maah are celebrated annually in March-April and September
respectively, since 2018. So far, a total of 7 Poshan Maah and 7 Poshan
Pakhwada have been conducted. The States/ UTs have reported more than 140
crore outreach activities around various thematic areas including importance of
maternal nutrition, appropriate techniques of breastfeeding, importance of timely
initiation of complimentary feeding, first 1000 days of life, poshan ke panch sutra,
anemia, tribal sensitisation, millet promotion, environment protection, ECCE etc.,
in coordination with more than 18 partner ministries/ departments.
• Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant
Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls to beat the intergenerational
cycle of malnutrition by adopting a life cycle approach. Supplementary nutrition
is provided in accordance with the nutrition norms contained in Schedule-II of
the National Food Security Act. These norms have been revised in January
2023. The old norms were largely calorie-specific; however, the revised norms
are more comprehensive and balanced in terms of both quantity and quality of
supplementary nutrition based on the principles of diet diversity that provides for
quality protein, healthy fats and micronutrients (Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Dietary
Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin-B6 and Vitamin B-12). Fortified rice is supplied to
AWCs to meet the requirement of micro-nutrients and to control anaemia among
women and children. Greater emphasis is laid on the use of millets at least once
a week for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal and Take-Home ration at Anganwadi
centers.
• Poshan Tracker Application also offers counselling videos on key behaviour and
services which help disseminate messages on birth preparedness, delivery,
post-natal care, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding.
Details of status of funds released to States and UTs under Saksham Anganwadi
and Mission Poshan 2.0 are placed at Annexure.Annexure
ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA QUESTION NO. 286
FOR 08.08.2025 REGARDING “LEARN TO EAT WELL PROGRAMME”
Details of fund released under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 in FY 24-25
are as follows:
S. No. Name of the State 2024-25
Funds released
In Crores
1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 9.63
2 Andhra Pradesh 645.73
3 Arunachal Pradesh 102.61
4 Assam 2482.34
5 Bihar 2262.92
6 Chandigarh 14.56
7 Chhattisgarh 733.3
8 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 9.13
9 Delhi 160.41
10 Goa 13.44
11 Gujarat 601.32
12 Haryana 232.69
13 Himachal Pradesh 313.07
14 Jammu & Kashmir 662.79
15 Jharkhand 496.95
16 Karnataka 886.85
17 Kerala 435.74
18 Ladakh 18.89
19 Lakshadweep 1.35
20 Madhya Pradesh 1144.54
21 Maharashtra 1368.84
22 Manipur 342.87
23 Meghalaya 137.93
24 Mizoram 55.29
25 Nagaland 147.01
26 Odisha 948.16
27 Puducherry 3.68
28 Punjab 265.48
29 Rajasthan 741.85
30 Sikkim 18.07
31 Tamil Nadu 638.47
32 Telangana 430.76
33 Tripura 153.41
34 Uttar Pradesh 2694.62
35 Uttarakhand 216.33
36 West Bengal 1513.8
Total 20904.83
*****