Government Signs $200 Million Loan Deal With World Bank For Nutrition Mission

The government signed a loan deal worth $200 million (Rs 1,344 crore) with the World Bank on Monday for the National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan). The loan would help the government in achieving its goal of reducing stunting in children 0-6 years of age from 38.4 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022, said a press information bureau press release. The Poshan (PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2018 at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.

A large component of Poshan Abhiyaan involves gradual scaling-up of the interventions supported by the ongoing World Bank assisted Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) to all districts in the country over a 3-year period. The loan approved today will support the first phase scale up to 315 districts across all states and union territories (UTs). 

With a focus on improving the coverage and quality of ICDS nutrition services to pregnant and lactating women and children under 3 years of age, the project will include investments in improving the skills and capacities of ICDS staff and community nutrition workers.

It will also institute mechanisms of community mobilisation, behavior change communication, strengthening systems of citizen engagement, grievance redress and establishing mobile technology based tools for improved monitoring and management of services for better outreach to beneficiaries during the critical 1,000 day window for nutrition impact. 

The project will additionally ensure convergence of all nutrition related schemes and provide performance based incentives to states and community nutrition and health workers, facilitating a focus on results.