National Nutrition Mission (NNM)
- Need - Malnutrition indices have shown a relative decline as per National Family Health Survey (NFHS) – 4 in 2015-16.
- However, the overall malnutrition scenario still continues to look bleak across the country.
- Notably, around 35% children under 5 years of age remain underweight and around 38% remain stunted.
- Further, around 23% women (15-49 years of age) have chronic energy deficiency (BMI less than 18.5).
- Objective - The National Nutrition Mission was launched recently with a three year budget commencing from 2017-18.
- NNM aims at improving the nutritional status of Children from 0-6 years, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.
- The goals include-
- preventing and reducing stunting in children (0-6 years)
- preventing and reducing underweight prevalence in children (0-6 years)
- reducing Low Birth Weight (LBW)
- reducing the prevalence of anaemia among young Children (6-59 months)
- reducing the prevalence of anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls in the age group of 15-49 years
- Scheme - Accordingly, the reduction would be by 6% at 2% per year for first there goals and by 9% at 3% per year for the rest, during the next three years beginning 2017-18.
- Implementation - The mission ensures convergence with various other programmes related to women and child.
- It includes -
- Anganwadi Services
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
- Scheme for Adolescent Girls (WCD Ministry)
- Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
- National Health Mission (Health & Family Welfare Ministry)
- Swachh Bharat Mission (Drinking Water & Sanitation Ministry)
- Public Distribution System (Consumer Affairs Ministry, Food & Public Distribution)
- MGNREGS (Rural Development Ministry)
- One of the key activities is Information and Communication Technology enabled Real Time Monitoring (ICT-RTM) of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
- Accordingly, a customized mobile based Common Application software (ICDS-CAS) has been developed.
- Through this, Anganwadi workers feed the information regarding the services delivered.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
- The Maternity Benefit Programme was announced for its Pan-India implementation from December, 2016.
- The Programme has since been named as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
- Under this, eligible pregnant women and lactating mothers would receive cash incentive of Rs 6000 as per approved norms.
Mahila Shakti Kendra
- The scheme was launched recently to address women’s issues at the village level.
- Over 300 thousand student volunteers are being sent out in 115 most backward districts under this new scheme.
- Volunteers, mobilised through local colleges, NCC, NSS, NYK etc., work with local women helping them access government schemes.
- Also, District Level Centres for Women are being set up in all 640 districts, providing convergence at the district level for all women related initiatives.
- Likewise, State Resource Centres for Women are the state-level mechanism ensuring coordination between blocks, districts, state and centre.
Women safety and security
- A number of projects are being implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund, for women safety and security.
- A robust online Management Information System has been developed to track implementation of all the projects under Nirbhaya.
- A focussed project for women’s safety in 8 prominent cities is being prepared under the Nirbhaya Fund.
- This will cover Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
- A project for Integrated Emergency Response Management under Nirbhaya is run by the Railways.
- CCTVs and monitoring rooms are being installed at major Railway Stations.
- Central Victim Compensation Fund has been created under the Nirbhaya fund, to support States/UTs for their Victim Compensation Scheme.
- Mahila Police Volunteers are being appointed to encourage women to report crime and are serving as role models in their communities.
- The scheme is currently operational in 5 States.
- New Taxi Policy Guidelines have been put in place in consultation with the Ministry, which have much improved safety measures for women.
- SHe-Box is a newly established online complaint mechanism, to help women report incidents of Sexual harassment at the workplace.
- Any female employee, whether employed by the government or private, can file an online complaint of sexual harassment.
- Swadhar Greh Scheme targets the women victims of difficult circumstances.
- It envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for them.
- More than 500 Swadhar Greh are functioning at present in the country benefiting more than 1500 women.
- In addition one Widow Home with a capacity of 1000 inmates fully funded by the Ministry has been constructed at Sunrakh Bangar, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.
Political representation
- Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions are being trained through the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development.
- This is to aid them take up their responsibilities as development planners and exercise their power effectively.
Legislation
- The National Policy for Women, 2017 was drafted with multi-stakeholder views and is currently under consideration.
- It has been prepared keeping in view the socio economic changes that have occurred since the last policy of 2001.
- The draft Policy addresses the diverse needs of women including
- health - food security and nutrition
- education
- economy including agriculture, industry, labour, employment, NRI women, soft power, service sector, science and technology
- governance and decision making
- protection against violence
- creation of an enabling environment
Other measures
- Maternity leave for working women has been extended to a period of 26 weeks (6 months).
- Benefitting single mothers, passport rules have been amended in their favour.
- Now either mother or father’s name can be provided in application form and do not have to provide certificate of marriage/divorce during application.
- One Stop Centres (OSCs) offer a single window to a range of services including access to police, medical, legal and psychological support, and temporary shelter.
- 10 new Women Helplines with the uniform code 181 have been started, taking the total coverage now in 28 States during 2017.
- Women of India Festival 2017 was organised to encourage women producers of organic products.
- More than 500 women farmers and entrepreneurs from even remotest parts of the country participated in the Festival.
- Sattvik Food Festival provided an opportunity to around 100 women entrepreneurs and farmers who produce organic products to exhibit and sell their products.
Source: PIB
