Malnutrition in India is not merely a public health concern; it is also a challenge of social equity, human development and effective welfare governance. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words)

Malnutrition includes undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency and overnutrition. Its persistence reflects unequal food access, maternal health, sanitation, income and public-service delivery, not calories alone.

Stunting and wasting increase disease and mortality; anaemia and micronutrient deficits impair cognition, schooling and work capacity. Maternal malnutrition transmits disadvantage across generations and weakens India’s demographic dividend, reinforcing a poverty-productivity trap.

Poor households, SC/ST communities, migrants, adolescent girls and remote regions face unequal access to diverse diets, healthcare, sanitation and social protection. Gender norms can distribute nutritious food and care unequally; cereal availability does not guarantee protein and micronutrient security.

ICDS, POSHAN Abhiyaan, PM POSHAN, NFSA and Anaemia Mukt Bharat require convergence among health, WCD, sanitation, water and education departments. Last-mile supply interruptions, weak growth monitoring and fragmented accountability persist. Strengthen Anganwadis, maternal and adolescent nutrition, diversified food, community monitoring and district-level convergence.

stunting; wasting; anaemia; first 1,000 days; ICDS; POSHAN Abhiyaan; PM POSHAN; nutrition security