NAME: MANDARA RAJ J P

ROLL NUMBER: IIGLGGS207398

PAPER NUMBER: 3

POLICY ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT

POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)

Executive Summary
India has long grappled with the deep-rooted issue of malnutrition, which disproportionately
affects children, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls. In response, the
Government of India launched the POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister’s Overarching
Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) in 2018 as a flagship programme aimed at reducing
malnutrition through a multi-ministerial convergence strategy. The current analysis focuses on
evaluating the progress of this policy, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,
and assesses its implementation challenges, strengths, and areas requiring critical reform.

The core problem being addressed by the POSHAN Abhiyaan is the persistent and
multidimensional nature of malnutrition in India, manifested through high rates of stunting,
wasting, underweight children, and anaemia among women and children. Despite numerous
schemes and interventions, India still ranks poorly in global nutrition indices, necessitating a
unified and data-driven strategy to bridge gaps in service delivery, behaviour change, and inter-
sectoral coordination.

The background of the policy reveals that POSHAN Abhiyaan was introduced with a focus
on improving outcomes during the critical first 1,000 days of a child's life. It leverages
technology for real-time monitoring (through the POSHAN Tracker), improves capacity
building of frontline workers (FLWs), promotes Jan Andolan for mass mobilization, and seeks
institutional convergence across ministries and departments. It builds upon and integrates
multiple existing schemes such as ICDS, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, PMMVY, and JSSK.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the POSHAN Abhiyaan faced significant challenges,
including service disruptions, delays in fund utilization, and infrastructure deficiencies.
However, the report also notes commendable efforts by states and frontline health workers to
restore essential services and innovate within the constraints of the crisis.

Major alternatives and schools of thought range from decentralizing nutritional governance
to the panchayat level to focusing on community-led monitoring and introducing performance-
based incentives for FLWs. Some experts argue for stronger integration with food security
schemes like PDS and MGNREGA, while others emphasize tackling social determinants like
early marriage and education discontinuity among girls.

The main argument of this policy analysis is that while POSHAN Abhiyaan has laid a
foundational framework for convergence and visibility around nutrition, its implementation
suffers from structural, institutional, and behavioural gaps that need urgent redressal. The
analysis proposes a series of justifiable reforms: prioritizing convergence with livelihood and
education policies, incentivizing digital compliance among FLWs, addressing regional
inequities in THR and IFA coverage, and establishing a robust grievance redressal mechanism
for beneficiaries.

This policy analysis concludes by arguing that POSHAN Abhiyaan should not be seen as an
isolated nutrition strategy but as a vehicle to mainstream nutrition-sensitive governance. With
contextual tailoring, enhanced transparency, and deeper community engagement, the mission
can evolve into a more inclusive and results-driven policy for ending malnutrition in India.

Introduction and Problem Statement

India’s development story is increasingly shaped by its ability to address foundational human
development challenges such as malnutrition. Despite a vast network of welfare schemes and
interventions, malnutrition continues to severely affect the country’s population—particularly
children under five, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women. According to the
National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), more than one-third of Indian children were
stunted and underweight, while over 50% of women aged 15–49 were anemic. These statistics
expose a grave public health and developmental crisis that demanded urgent, targeted, and
sustained policy intervention. In response, the Government of India launched the POSHAN
Abhiyaan in 2018 a convergence mission designed to eradicate malnutrition through
collaborative efforts across multiple sectors.

The policy problem at hand is multifaceted. Malnutrition is not merely a health issue but a
manifestation of deep systemic failures, including poor health service delivery, gender
inequality, low female literacy, food insecurity, and the lack of convergence across government
schemes. It adversely affects cognitive development, educational attainment, workforce
productivity, and intergenerational poverty. Hence, without significant and rapid improvements
in nutrition, India risks squandering its demographic dividend and weakening its human capital.

POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)

emerged as a response to this complex challenge. It aims to improve nutritional outcomes
through a lifecycle approach, focusing primarily on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life—a
period critical to cognitive and physical development. The mission brings together various
ministries—including Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Rural
Development, and Education—under a unified policy platform, enabling convergent service
delivery for maximum impact.

The policy issues at stake revolve around four central dimensions:

1. Convergence Deficit – While India runs multiple schemes such as ICDS, PMMVY,
and NHM, they often function in silos. POSHAN Abhiyaan seeks to bridge these gaps
through institutional coordination at central, state, district, and block levels.

2. Technology and Data Gaps – A key innovation in POSHAN Abhiyaan is the POSHAN
Tracker (previously ICDS-CAS), intended to provide real-time data on service delivery.
However, uneven access to digital tools, poor training, and inconsistent data entry
undermine its efficacy.
 3. Service Delivery Bottlenecks – Frontline workers face a shortage of resources,
inadequate training, and lack of incentives. The mission emphasizes capacity building
through Integrated Learning Approach (ILA) modules, but uptake varies across states.

4. Behavioural and Social Barriers – Deep-rooted practices, limited awareness, and low
demand for health and nutrition services among beneficiaries impede the behaviour
change necessary for improved nutrition outcomes. The Jan Andolan (People’s
Movement) component of POSHAN Abhiyaan seeks to address this through
community mobilization and communication strategies.
The urgency of policy action was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted
routine service delivery mechanisms. Anganwadi Centres were closed, THR (Take Home
Rations) distribution faltered, and key health services such as antenatal care and immunization
suffered. Yet, the pandemic also offered an opportunity to innovate and adapt, with several
states demonstrating resilience through doorstep delivery models, tele-counselling, and flexible
use of funds.

Primary policy options to address this issue include:

 Strengthening convergence through local governance institutions, like Gram

Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies, to customize interventions.

 Enhancing digital infrastructure and training for FLWs to improve real-time

monitoring and accountability.

 Linking POSHAN services more closely with education, WASH (Water,

Sanitation, and Hygiene), and livelihood programs, such as MGNREGA, to address
root causes of undernutrition.

 Redesigning communication strategies under Jan Andolan to better target cultural

practices and gender dynamics.

In conclusion, POSHAN Abhiyaan addresses one of the most critical policy concerns of our
time nutrition. The persistence of malnutrition in India, despite sustained economic growth,
makes it clear that systemic reforms, effective governance, and local accountability are key.
The policy’s success depends not just on top-down directives but also on bottom-up
engagement, effective monitoring, and institutional learning.

Assemble Evidence/Research – Building a Narrative

Malnutrition in India is a long-standing structural challenge that intersects with poverty, gender
inequality, education, health service delivery, and food security. It impairs human capital
development and productivity, with severe economic consequences. According to the Global
Nutrition Report 2020, India is home to over 30% of the world’s stunted children and 50%
of its wasted children. The NFHS-5 (2019–21) data reveal only marginal improvement over
previous surveys in stunting and underweight indicators, with worsening rates in some states.
This scenario illustrates the need for a coordinated, systemic, and lifecycle-based approach to
combat malnutrition—exactly what the POSHAN Abhiyaan seeks to deliver.
Historical and Policy Context
Efforts to improve nutrition in India date back to the Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) scheme launched in 1975, which provided supplementary nutrition, preschool
education, health check-ups, and immunization through Anganwadi Centres. Over time,
initiatives such as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), and Anaemia
Mukt Bharat have been introduced. However, these interventions largely operated in silos
with limited inter-sectoral coordination. The absence of real-time monitoring, consistent
evaluation, and community engagement limited their impact.

In recognition of these systemic issues, the POSHAN Abhiyaan (launched in March 2018)
sought to provide a comprehensive and convergent solution. The mission is grounded in the
understanding that nutritional outcomes are not determined by any single factor but by a matrix
of health, sanitation, food, education, and social protection.

Goals and Objectives of POSHAN Abhiyaan

The core objectives of the POSHAN Abhiyaan are:

1. To reduce stunting, wasting, and undernutrition among children under 6 years

through targeted interventions during the critical first 1,000 days of life.
2. To reduce anaemia among women and adolescent girls by ensuring delivery of IFA
supplementation, nutrition counselling, and maternal health services.

3. To ensure real-time monitoring of nutritional interventions through the POSHAN

Tracker application.

4. To strengthen capacity building of frontline health workers through Integrated

Learning Approach (ILA) modules.

5. To create a ‘Jan Andolan’ or people’s movement for nutritional awareness and

behavioural change at the grassroots level.

6. To foster convergence between Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health,

Education, Rural Development, and Panchayati Raj for unified action.

The mission works through a three-tier mechanism—central, state, and district convergence
plans and committees—aiming to institutionalize inter-departmental cooperation. The
POSHAN Tracker software was introduced to ensure data-driven decision-making and to track
program outcomes.

Dimensions of the Malnutrition Problem

The dimensions of malnutrition in India include:
  Stunting (low height-for-age): Caused by chronic undernutrition and affects cognitive
development.

 Wasting (low weight-for-height): Indicates acute malnutrition due to recent food

shortage or illness.

 Underweight (low weight-for-age): Reflects both chronic and acute malnutrition.

 Micronutrient deficiencies, especially of iron, iodine, and vitamin A.

As per NFHS-5:

 35.5% of children under 5 years are stunted, down only slightly from 38.4% in
NFHS-4.

 32.1% are underweight, while 19.3% suffer from wasting.

 57% of women aged 15–49 are anaemic, up from 53% in NFHS-4.

These indicators vary sharply by region, caste, income, and education levels. Tribal
communities, Scheduled Castes, and rural populations face disproportionately higher burdens.
States like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh continue to perform poorly, indicating
persistent inequalities in access and outcomes.

Present State and Implementation Challenges

According to the POSHAN Abhiyaan IV Progress Report (2021):

 States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat scored above 80% on
implementation indices.

 However, less than half the funds were utilised in 23 States and UTs.

 Significant HR shortages exist, particularly in states like Bihar, Punjab, and Rajasthan,
where less than half of required positions are filled.

 Digital gaps persist, with low adoption and irregular use of the POSHAN Tracker in
multiple states due to poor connectivity, lack of training, and insufficient smartphones
for Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).

 Coverage of Take Home Rations (THR), Iron-Folic Acid supplementation, and

antenatal check-ups remains uneven and suboptimal across many states.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic had a pronounced impact:

 Service disruptions were observed in supplementary nutrition, immunization, and

maternal care.

 Yet, some innovations—like doorstep delivery of THR, tele-consultations, and mobile

counselling—demonstrated adaptive capacity and resilience in certain states.
External Commentary and Evaluation
Scholars and policy analysts have offered varied perspectives:

 Menon et al. (2020, IFPRI) emphasized that while POSHAN Abhiyaan has succeeded
in creating a “nutrition architecture,” it needs deeper accountability mechanisms and
bottom-up feedback loops to be sustainable.

 UNICEF (2021) commended India’s efforts but warned that without a sharper focus on
adolescent nutrition and maternal education, POSHAN Abhiyaan’s goals may remain
elusive.

 The Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition (2021) highlighted that India
must focus on "nutrition-sensitive interventions," such as women's empowerment,
sanitation, education, and food security, alongside "nutrition-specific" programs.

Key Challenges and Gaps Identified

 Supply-side issues: Irregular supply chains, unfilled health worker posts, digital divide
in rural areas.
 Demand-side constraints: Low awareness among beneficiaries, gender-based barriers
to access, mistrust in state systems.

 Monitoring and evaluation: Data inconsistencies, underreporting, and limited

feedback mechanisms.

 Intra-state inequalities: Urban-rural divides, as well as geographic variation between

aspirational and developed districts.

Construct Alternative Policy Responses

While the POSHAN Abhiyaan presents a well-conceived convergence strategy to address
malnutrition, its uneven implementation, regional disparities, and the multifactorial nature of
malnutrition demand the consideration of complementary or alternative policy responses.
These alternatives include localized governance models, global best practices, digital
innovations, demand-side behavioural interventions, and community-driven accountability
mechanisms. This section discusses these alternatives under five thematic categories,
evaluating their potential utility and the contexts in which they may thrive.

1. Decentralized and Contextualized Governance for Nutrition Delivery

Alternative: Panchayat/ULB-led Nutrition Governance

Rationale: Centralized programs often fail to account for local variations in socio-economic
conditions, food cultures, and administrative capacity. Empowering Gram Panchayats and
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with planning and monitoring responsibilities could improve
relevance and accountability in service delivery.

Example:
  Kerala’s Kudumbashree Model—a network of women’s self-help groups (SHGs)—
has effectively linked livelihoods, food security, and maternal health services at the
community level.

 In Odisha, PRI involvement in VHSND (Village Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition

Days) has helped raise awareness and improve monitoring of maternal nutrition
outcomes.

Applicability: Best suited for states with strong local governance and SHG networks. This
model requires capacity building, financial devolution, and political will.

2. Technology-Enabled Real-Time Monitoring and Data Use

Alternative: Strengthening and Democratizing POSHAN Tracker Use

Rationale: The POSHAN Tracker can be a transformative tool—if properly utilized. Presently,
digital fatigue, poor training, and uneven access to smartphones reduce its effectiveness.
Creating user-friendly, multilingual interfaces and integrating data with other platforms (like
PMMVY or NHM portals) could make it more meaningful.

Proposals from Civil Society and Academia:

 NITI Aayog and IFPRI recommend creating a dashboard accessible to local
governance bodies and citizens, facilitating community-led monitoring.

 Digital Empowerment Foundation suggests developing offline-compatible apps for

low-connectivity areas and incorporating grievance redressal systems within the
platform.

Global Inspiration:
 Rwanda’s RapidSMS system, which monitors maternal and child health indicators in
real time and integrates SMS alerts, could serve as a model for India’s rural areas.
Applicability: Effective when digital infrastructure is strengthened and FLWs are incentivized
for usage.

3. Integrated Food and Nutrition Security via Social Protection Schemes

Alternative: Link POSHAN Abhiyaan with PDS, MGNREGA, and Agriculture

Rationale: Malnutrition in India is deeply linked to food insecurity and economic vulnerability.
Strengthening convergence between POSHAN and existing food/livelihood schemes can
address both immediate needs (caloric intake) and long-term sustainability (dietary
diversity).

Best Practices:
 Chhattisgarh's PDS system includes fortified rice and pulses; combined with
maternity entitlement schemes, it has improved household nutrition levels.
  Brazil’s Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) Program integrated conditional cash transfers,
school meals, and local food procurement—leading to a significant decline in hunger
and stunting rates.

Think Tank Support:

 ICRIER recommends integrating agriculture-based nutrition education into
Anganwadi activities to promote dietary diversity.

 MS Swaminathan Foundation advocates for the inclusion of nutri-cereals (millets)

and locally available greens in THR.

Applicability: Most useful in high-poverty districts where malnutrition is tied to food

insecurity. Requires coordination across departments and budget realignments.

4. Behavioural Change Through Deeper Jan Andolan Reform

Alternative: Focused SBCC (Social and Behaviour Change Communication) Strategies

Rationale: Behavioural factors—such as feeding practices, sanitation, early marriage, and
gender discrimination—undermine nutrition interventions. Jan Andolan must evolve from
broad-based awareness to targeted, culturally rooted behavioural change.

Civil Society Interventions:

 Alive & Thrive’s pilot in Uttar Pradesh showed that focused community sessions on
exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding increased adoption rates by 20%
within a year.

 SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association) in Gujarat integrates nutrition literacy

into women’s livelihoods programs, addressing both awareness and empowerment.

Global Example:
 Bangladesh's BRAC Nutrition Program combines counselling with community
volunteers and microloans to shift behaviours at scale.

Applicability: Particularly effective in rural and tribal areas where misconceptions or taboos
affect feeding practices. Success depends on training local leaders and peer educators.

5. Adolescent Nutrition and Gender Empowerment

Alternative: Intervening Earlier in the Lifecycle – Targeting Adolescent Girls

Rationale: Nutritional deprivations often begin in adolescence, especially for girls. Without
early intervention, these lead to poor maternal health and intergenerational undernutrition.

Evidence-Based Proposals:
 Integrate nutrition and reproductive health education into upper-primary and
secondary school curricula.
  Provide weekly iron supplementation and school-based mid-day meals extended to
adolescent girls, including out-of-school adolescents via community centres.

International Example:
 Nepal’s Adolescents’ Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (AIFAS) Program uses
schools and female community health volunteers to distribute IFA tablets to adolescent
girls, improving anaemia levels significantly.

Policy Recommendations:
 The Population Foundation of India (PFI) advocates for combining adolescent
nutrition with menstrual hygiene and early marriage prevention programs.

Applicability: Critical in high-burden states like Bihar and Rajasthan. Requires collaboration
with the Education and Health Ministries and targeting of out-of-school girls through
VHSNDs.

6. Community-Based Monitoring and Grievance Redressal

Alternative: Social Accountability Tools

Rationale: Beneficiaries often lack the platforms or tools to monitor services or report failures.
Embedding community-based monitoring (CBM) mechanisms can enhance transparency
and responsiveness.

Proposals:
 Implement nutrition report cards for each village, similar to Maharashtra’s CBM
model in health.

 Establish nutrition grievance redressal helplines with tri-lingual capabilities, linked

to district monitoring teams.

Applicability: Especially valuable in aspirational districts and conflict-prone areas where trust
in government systems is low.

Summary Table: Comparative Evaluation of Alternatives

Primary Implementation
Policy Alternative Ideal Context
Advantage Challenge

Panchayat-led
Tailored local Strong local Capacity and fund
Nutrition
solutions institutions devolution
Governance

Strengthened Real-time data & Digitally connected Tech fatigue, poor

POSHAN Tracker accountability areas training
 Primary Implementation
Policy Alternative Ideal Context
Advantage Challenge

Food-Nutrition Holistic support Inter-ministry

Food-insecure areas
Convergence system coordination

Cultural resistance Requires skilled

Targeted Jan Andolan Behavioural change
zones facilitators

High anaemia/gender Out-of-school

Adolescent Nutrition Long-term impact
disparity states coverage

Community Bottom-up Institutional

Low-trust areas
Monitoring accountability resistance

List Specific Criteria Used in Making Evaluation

To effectively evaluate the alternative policy responses aimed at enhancing the impact of the
POSHAN Abhiyaan, it is essential to adopt a structured, context-sensitive framework. The
selected criteria reflect the multidimensional nature of malnutrition and are tailored to India’s
diverse socio-economic, institutional, and administrative landscapes. The following five
criteria will guide the evaluation of each alternative:

1. Effectiveness and Impact on Nutrition Outcomes

This criterion assesses whether the proposed alternative has the potential to significantly reduce
key malnutrition indicators—stunting, wasting, anaemia, and underweight—especially during
the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

 Key indicators considered: IFA coverage, THR distribution, breastfeeding practices,

antenatal care, adolescent nutrition, and dietary diversity.

 Evidence base: Evaluations from previous pilots, state-level case studies, and
international experiences.

2. Equity and Inclusion

Nutrition interventions must prioritize the most vulnerable—women, children from Scheduled
Castes and Tribes, minorities, and the rural and urban poor. This criterion examines whether an
alternative:

 Addresses structural exclusions.

 Is accessible to out-of-school adolescents, tribal populations, and women with limited

agency.
It also includes gender sensitivity and the extent to which the policy mitigates existing
inequalities in health and nutrition access.

3. Administrative and Political Feasibility

This criterion evaluates the ease or complexity of integrating the proposed alternative into the
existing institutional setup.

 Can it be implemented within the current POSHAN framework?

 Does it require new legal or bureaucratic infrastructure?

 Will it face resistance from key stakeholders (e.g., line departments, unions, FLWs)?

Alternatives with high feasibility can be more quickly deployed and scaled.

4. Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Optimization

With fiscal constraints a reality, this criterion assesses whether the intervention delivers high
nutritional returns for its cost. It looks at:

 Budgetary efficiency.

 Scope for convergence with existing schemes (PDS, MGNREGA, NRLM).

 Potential to leverage technology, local resources, and community institutions.

5. Scalability and Sustainability

A pilot initiative may succeed in a few districts but fail at national scale. This criterion assesses:

 The capacity for nation-wide replication or phased expansion.

 Long-term sustainability in terms of training, funding, institutional commitment, and

community ownership.

Apply Criteria

 This section applies the evaluation framework to the six alternative policy responses
proposed in the previous section. The assessment is presented both narratively and in a
summarised comparative table to allow a clear, evidence-based understanding of which
policies offer the greatest potential impact and feasibility within the Indian context.

1. Panchayat/ULB-led Nutrition Governance

Criteria Evaluation
High in tailoring services to local needs and ensuring last-mile delivery.
Effectiveness
Improves ownership and responsiveness of Anganwadi services.
Strong focus on inclusion if PRIs are sensitized on caste, gender, and
Equity
minority issues.
 Criteria Evaluation
Moderate. Requires devolution of funds and powers under 73rd/74th
Feasibility
Amendments, and coordination among multiple actors.
Cost-
High if existing PRI structures are leveraged and adequately trained.
Effectiveness
High in states with mature decentralization (e.g., Kerala, Tamil Nadu),
Scalability
moderate elsewhere.

 Overall: A strong structural reform with high transformative potential, but dependent
on political will and capacity-building.

2. Strengthening POSHAN Tracker & Digital Integration

Criteria Evaluation
High. Enables real-time monitoring, quicker redressal of gaps, and data-
Effectiveness
driven planning.
Moderate. Digital access disparities can exclude remote or marginalized
Equity
regions unless offline tools are introduced.
Moderate to low due to infrastructure gaps, digital fatigue among FLWs,
Feasibility
and inconsistent training.
Cost- High. Once set up, systems can reduce duplication and delays in service
Effectiveness delivery.
Scalability High if initial rollout is backed by training and incentives for usage.

 Overall: Technically sound and transformative but requires strong backend support and
front-end usability design.

3. Converging POSHAN with PDS, MGNREGA, and Agriculture

Criteria Evaluation
Very high. Directly addresses food insecurity, dietary diversity, and
Effectiveness
income support.
High. Targets the poorest households, ensuring better access to nutrition-
Equity
sensitive entitlements.
Feasibility Moderate. Requires inter-departmental cooperation and political buy-in.
Cost-
High. Utilizes already funded schemes; marginal alignment costs.
Effectiveness
Moderate to high, depending on state capacity to manage cross-sectoral
Scalability
coordination.
  Overall: A high-impact alternative that aligns well with POSHAN’s convergence
principle; requires robust coordination mechanisms.

4. Targeted Jan Andolan 2.0: Behavioural Change Focus

Criteria Evaluation
High. Addresses root causes like feeding practices, hygiene, and early
Effectiveness
marriage.
High. Can be customized to target gender norms, tribal practices, and
Equity
local taboos.
Moderate. Needs skilled facilitators, local champions, and long-term
Feasibility
engagement.
Cost- Moderate. Requires investment in media campaigns and local
Effectiveness mobilization but has lasting returns.
Scalability High with a modular SBCC framework adaptable to cultural contexts.

 Overall: Essential for long-term gains, especially if integrated with livelihoods,

education, and gender sensitization programs.

5. Adolescent Nutrition & Education Interventions

Criteria Evaluation
Effectiveness High. Breaks the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition early.
Very high. Focuses on adolescent girls, often excluded from mainstream
Equity
health services.
Moderate. Requires coordination between education, health, and WCD
Feasibility
ministries.
Cost-
High. Preventative rather than curative; long-term public health gains.
Effectiveness
Scalability High if school-based platforms and SHGs are utilized.

 Overall: A future-proof strategy with wide-ranging benefits across education, health,

and gender equality domains.
6. Community-Based Monitoring & Grievance Redressal

Criteria Evaluation
High. Strengthens transparency, addresses leakage, and improves
Effectiveness
accountability.
Equity High. Gives voice to underserved communities.
Moderate. Resistance possible from bureaucratic structures; needs
Feasibility
facilitation.
Cost-
High. Leverages local volunteers and SHGs.
Effectiveness
High where local institutions like SHGs or VHSNCs (Village Health
Scalability
Sanitation and Nutrition Committees) are active.

 Overall: Strong community-anchored model, especially effective in aspirational

districts and tribal belts.

Cost- Overall
Policy Option Effectiveness Equity Feasibility Scalability
Efficiency Potential

Panchayat-led
Nutrition High High Moderate High High Strong
Governance

Strengthening
Strong, if
POSHAN High Moderate Moderate High High
supported
Tracker

Convergence
with PDS, Moderate- Very
Very High High Moderate High
MGNREGA, High Strong
Agriculture

Targeted Jan
Andolan High High Moderate Moderate High Strong
(SBCC)

Adolescent
Nutrition and Very Very
High Moderate High High
Health High Strong
Interventions
 Cost- Overall
Policy Option Effectiveness Equity Feasibility Scalability
Efficiency Potential

Community-
Based
Monitoring & High High Moderate High High Strong
Grievance
Systems

All six alternatives offer critical value in strengthening the impact and reach of POSHAN
Abhiyaan. However, the most promising options—when judged against the criteria—are
convergence with food and livelihood schemes, adolescent-focused interventions, and
community-based monitoring. These combine high nutritional impact, equity, and
sustainability. In the next section, we will develop final recommendations by prioritizing these
alternatives and suggesting how they can be integrated into the future evolution of POSHAN
Abhiyaan.

Recommendations
India’s battle against malnutrition demands more than symbolic convergence—it requires
coordinated action rooted in grassroots realities, evidence-informed reform, and inclusive
implementation. The POSHAN Abhiyaan has laid a solid policy foundation, but its potential
has been constrained by systemic gaps, regional disparities, and fragmented implementation.
Based on the evaluation of alternative policy responses, the following multi-layered
recommendations are proposed to recalibrate and strengthen POSHAN Abhiyaan.

1. Deepen Convergence with Livelihood and Food Security Schemes

Recommendation: Formalize and institutionalize convergence between POSHAN Abhiyaan,
PDS, MGNREGA, and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) through integrated
district-level action plans.

 Justification: Nutrition cannot be improved without addressing food access, income

security, and women’s economic empowerment. Leveraging existing schemes increases
efficiency and multiplies impact.

 Actionable Step: Launch a “POSHAN+” pilot in aspirational districts, aligning

agriculture, health, and nutrition services with Gram Panchayat Development Plans
(GPDPs).

 Timeline: Short- to medium-term (1–3 years), with support from the Ministries of
WCD, Rural Development, and Agriculture.
2. Prioritize Adolescent Nutrition as a Long-Term Investment
Recommendation: Expand the scope of POSHAN Abhiyaan to explicitly target adolescent
girls, especially out-of-school adolescents and those in vulnerable regions.
 Justification: Adolescence is a missed window in the current policy. Addressing
anaemia, dietary practices, and reproductive health at this stage can prevent maternal
and child malnutrition downstream.

 Actionable Step: Introduce Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) via both
school and community platforms, paired with menstrual hygiene education.

 Partners: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Women’s

SHGs, and state health missions.

3. Strengthen Local Governance and Accountability Mechanisms

Recommendation: Empower Gram Panchayats and ULBs to play a central role in planning,
monitoring, and grievance redressal for nutrition services.

 Justification: Local institutions understand community needs better and can ensure
accountability for service delivery.

 Actionable Step: Provide untied block-level POSHAN funds for local innovations and
make PRI participation in VHSNDs mandatory.

 Medium: Leverage Social Audit Units and Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition
Committees (VHSNCs).

4. Evolve Jan Andolan into Targeted Social and Behaviour Change Campaigns
Recommendation: Recast Jan Andolan from generic awareness to targeted, evidence-based
SBCC campaigns that address cultural and gendered determinants of malnutrition.

 Justification: Behavioural change is slow without cultural alignment and sustained

engagement. Blanket IEC materials often miss context.

 Actionable Step: Co-create communication materials with local leaders, folk artists,
women’s groups, and adolescent peer educators.

 Platform: Mobile vans, community radio, wall art, and digital platforms in local
languages.

5. Democratize and Rationalize the Use of POSHAN Tracker

Recommendation: Make the POSHAN Tracker more usable, offline-compatible, and linked
with existing social welfare platforms.
  Justification: Technology should empower, not burden, frontline workers. Currently,
low usage and technical glitches hinder real-time decision-making.

 Actionable Step: Provide performance-based incentives for Tracker use and regular
digital literacy workshops for FLWs.

 Medium-Term Reform: Integrate Tracker data with health portals (like PMMVY and
RCH) to ensure holistic monitoring.

6. Institutionalize Community-Based Monitoring and Redressal

Recommendation: Establish structured community-based monitoring systems with grievance
redressal cells at the block level.

 Justification: Top-down audits often miss ground realities. Empowering communities

increases trust, transparency, and responsiveness.
 Actionable Step: Develop “Nutrition Scorecards” for Anganwadi Centres to be
updated quarterly and publicly displayed.

 Instruments: Toll-free helplines, community audits, participatory planning sessions.

 Integrated Strategy and Phased Implementation Plan

 To ensure practicality, these recommendations can be sequenced as follows:

Phase Focus Area Timeline

Phase 1 Tracker strengthening + Adolescent Nutrition 0–12 months
Phase 2 PRI capacity building + POSHAN+ convergence model 1–2 years
Phase 3 Behavioural campaigns + Community Monitoring 2–3 years

Conclusion

The POSHAN Abhiyaan is a critical step forward in India’s fight against malnutrition, but its
current model must evolve to be more inclusive, accountable, and aligned with ground realities.
By adopting a multi-sectoral, lifecycle-based, and community-anchored approach, India
can not only reduce malnutrition but also enhance human capital, gender equity, and economic
resilience. The time to act is now—before the costs of inaction become irreversible.