Mission Nutrition A Boon For Women And Children

To ensure the holistic development and adequate nutrition for adolescent girls, pregnant women, mothers and children, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved the setting up of National Nutrition Mission (NNM). A three year budget of Rs 9046.17 crore has been assigned to the project commencing from  2017-18. The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the meeting, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi told reporters that the mission results will be visible within a year, if the government remains on the right track. The Ministry said it had taken the aid of technology to tackle nutrition related issues like developing software and its implementation in 50,000 anganwadis. It has also devised 'ICDS-CAS', a real-time monitoring system that will track nutrition goals and anganwadi functionality. To improve the nutrition of children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls, fund allocation has been increased. This programme will benefit more than 10 crore people under which all the states and districts will be covered in a phased manner - 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 and remaining districts in 2019-20.