Orissa lagging behind in ICDS achievement

BHUBANESWAR: Even after three decades of its launch, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in Orissa is yet to achieve half of its nutritional objective.

As per the latest report, the nutritional status of only 47.33 per cent children under ICDS are detected as normal as on December 31, 2009. This shows over 50 per cent of the children under six years, who received supplementary nutrition under the ICDS in Orissa, are either moderately or severely malnourished. The data show that the severely malnourished in the State stand at 0.45 per cent only and the moderately malnourished at a whopping 52 per cent.

In comparison, the national average for moderately and severely malnourished stood at 45 per cent and 0.4 per cent only.

Though the State shows better result than Chhattisgarh, it trails behind Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. All these states have children with normal nutritional status well above the 50 per cent mark with Jharkhand even touching near the 60 per cent level.

As far as BIMARU (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh) states are concerned, Orissa is marginally better than Uttar Pradesh only. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have better numbers than Orissa.

The number of children receiving supplementary nutrition under the ICDS in Orissa is more than some better performing states. The coverage has increased to over 41 lakh in 2009 from around 37 lakh in 2007.

In comparison, the coverage in Andhra Pradesh is only around 40 lakh.

ICDS is a Centrally-sponsored programme and against the release of `169 crore to the State in 2008-09, the actual expenditure stood at over `180 crore.

Why then Orissa lags behind? As per Arti Ahuja, Secretary, Women and Child Development, ICDS is not the primary nutritional programme for a child. It is only a supplementary nutrition programme. Unless the overall nutritional standard in the State improves, expecting better outcome from ICDS is not possible. She further added that wrong feeding practices among rural populace and lack of hygiene also tell on the nutrition of the rural populace.

Does non-improvement of overall nutritional status of the people in Orissa alludes to prevalence of large-scale hunger? As per a Unicef study, this is partly true. It says poor nutrition is an outcome of food insecurity.

The report outlined two causes behind high under-nutrition in Orissa: inadequate dietary intake and diseases. The report elaborated on it saying income poverty is the root cause behind under-nutrition in the State.

Lack of capital results in food insecurity, inadequate care and unhealthy household environment. In simple terms, high undernutrition in ICDS is directly linked to State’s high poverty rate.