Healthcare
Indian PM Creates "Food and Nutrition Watch"
By PIB, India
Mar 28, 2005, 23:09

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has approved the setting up of a Food and Nutrition Security Watch (FNSW) in the Planning Commission to maintain constant vigil on the implementation of food and nutrition security programmes. The FNSW will bring under the scanner major programmes that are being implemented for food and nutrition security like the Public Distribution System, Food-For-Work Programme, Integrated Child Development Scheme and Mid-day Meal Programme.

The FNSW will commission studies on food and nutrition security issues. The findings and results of these studies will enable policy corrections and programme delivery improvements.

The FNSW will publish every year a national status report on:

1. food availability situation in the country

2. food access situation (impact of PDS/FFW)

3. impact of mid-day meal programme on nutrition security and retention in schools

4. impact of ICDS programme on nutrition security of children

5. list of food insecurity `hot spots� in the country

6. assessment of impact of Food-for-Work and National Rrural Employment Guarantee Act on food security.

The members of the FNSW will include professionals, like economists, sociologists, nutritionists; social activists from NGOs with experience in the area of food security. Secretaries of concerned Union Ministries will be special invitees to meetings of the FNSW.

The work of the FNSW will be serviced by the Planning Commission, under the overall guidance of the Deputy Chairman.

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