What is the nutrition program in India? A Comprehensive Overview

November 20, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) for 2019–21, nearly 36% of children under five in India were stunted, highlighting a significant public health challenge. Addressing this, the Indian government has launched and continually evolved a comprehensive system, and understanding what is the nutrition program in India involves looking at several multi-pronged, converging initiatives.

Quick Summary

India's comprehensive nutrition initiatives address malnutrition, stunting, and anemia through major programs like POSHAN Abhiyaan, ICDS, and PM POSHAN. The government has evolved its strategy to include targeted interventions, micronutrient supplementation, and technological integration for better outcomes.

Key Points

POSHAN Abhiyaan: The mission functions as a strategic umbrella, coordinating all major nutrition interventions across India with a focus on holistic nourishment.
ICDS as the Backbone: The Integrated Child Development Services program operates a vast network of Anganwadis, delivering essential nutrition, health, and education services at the community level.
PM POSHAN's Dual Role: The scheme, previously the Mid-Day Meal, provides cooked meals to school children, improving both their nutritional intake and school attendance.
Combating 'Hidden Hunger': India’s strategy explicitly addresses widespread micronutrient deficiencies through programs like Anaemia Mukt Bharat and large-scale food fortification efforts.
Technology for Better Monitoring: The use of ICT, like the Poshan Tracker app, enables real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making to improve the efficiency and reach of nutrition services.
Acknowledging Persistent Challenges: Despite advances, the program faces challenges including implementation gaps, inadequate funding, and the 'double burden' of malnutrition and obesity.

India's Multi-Layered Approach to Nutrition

India's fight against malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies has evolved significantly, moving from targeted feeding programs to a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach. The sheer scale of the population requires a coordinated effort across several ministries and a variety of schemes, which together constitute the nation's nutrition program. This integrated strategy recognizes that nutrition is linked to health, sanitation, education, and social empowerment.

POSHAN Abhiyaan: The Flagship Mission

Launched in March 2018, POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment), also known as the National Nutrition Mission, is the overarching framework for India's nutrition efforts. It is a convergence mission aiming to reduce stunting, undernutrition, anemia, and low birth weight. Key aspects include ICT-enabled real-time monitoring via the Poshan Tracker app and community mobilization through 'Jan Andolan' campaigns. It also emphasizes health and nutrition education, promoting optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices.

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme

Operating since 1975, ICDS is a large-scale program providing services to children under 6 and their mothers through Anganwadi centres. It provides supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, health check-ups, immunization, referral services, and nutrition education.

PM POSHAN: Mid-Day Meal Scheme for School Children

PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman), previously the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, is a centrally sponsored program offering hot, cooked meals to school children. Its goals include improving nutritional status, encouraging school attendance, and promoting social equity.

Targeted Micronutrient and Health Interventions

India's strategy also addresses micronutrient deficiencies. Programs include Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB), which uses a 6x6x6 strategy with interventions like Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation. Food fortification of staples like rice and salt with essential nutrients is another key effort. Additionally, biannual Vitamin A supplementation for children and Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) for severely malnourished children are part of the strategy.

Evolution of Nutrition Policy and Future Strategy

India's nutrition policy has evolved from focusing on calorie sufficiency to a rights-based approach, supported by laws like the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013. Recent strategies integrate nutrition with healthcare and promote dietary diversity. While progress has been made, challenges such as implementation gaps and the 'double burden' of malnutrition and obesity persist. Future efforts aim to improve coordination, monitoring, and community involvement.


Program	Target Group	Key Services	Focus
POSHAN Abhiyaan	Children (0-6), pregnant/lactating mothers, adolescent girls	Real-time monitoring, community mobilization, behavior change communication	Overarching, multi-sectoral convergence
ICDS	Children under 6, pregnant/lactating mothers	Supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, pre-school education	Grassroots service delivery
PM POSHAN	School children (Class 1-8)	Hot, cooked mid-day meals	School-based nutrition and enrollment
Anaemia Mukt Bharat	Children (6-59 months), adolescent girls, pregnant/lactating women	IFA supplementation, deworming, behavior change	Addressing micronutrient deficiency

Conclusion

India's nutrition program is a complex network of schemes, led by the POSHAN Abhiyaan mission. Key programs like ICDS and PM POSHAN are integral, alongside initiatives addressing specific deficiencies such as Anaemia Mukt Bharat and food fortification. Significant progress has been noted in areas like exclusive breastfeeding and reducing stunting, but ongoing challenges require continuous adaptation and implementation efforts. Future success relies on strengthening program delivery, utilizing technology, and ensuring effective service convergence to support vulnerable populations. For more details on these initiatives, refer to the official National Portal of India(https://www.india.gov.in/national-nutrition-mission?page=2).

Frequently Asked Questions

POSHAN Abhiyaan, or the National Nutrition Mission, is the Government of India's flagship program to address malnutrition among children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. It acts as an apex body to monitor and guide nutrition-related interventions.

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program provides a comprehensive package of services including supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, immunization, referral services, and pre-school education through Anganwadi centers.

The main beneficiaries of the PM POSHAN scheme are children studying in government and government-aided schools, from pre-school up to Class 8. It provides them with a hot, cooked meal each school day.

Major nutritional challenges in India include high rates of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children, along with widespread anemia affecting women and adolescent girls. Micronutrient deficiencies and the 'double burden' of malnutrition and obesity are also significant issues.

India addresses micronutrient deficiencies through specific programs like Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB), large-scale food fortification of staples like rice and salt, and regular Vitamin A supplementation for children.

Anganwadi centers are central to India's nutrition program, especially under the ICDS. They serve as a grassroots hub for distributing supplementary food, conducting health check-ups, and providing nutrition education to local communities.

Programs like POSHAN Abhiyaan use technology such as the Poshan Tracker mobile app for real-time monitoring and tracking. This helps field workers, like Anganwadi workers, prioritize tasks and allows officials to supervise progress more effectively.

India's strategy has evolved from focusing primarily on food sufficiency and targeted feeding post-independence to a broader, rights-based approach. The modern strategy integrates health, agriculture, and behavior change communication to achieve holistic nutritional well-being.