Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’?
- 1.To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
- 2.To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.
- 3.To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.
- 4.To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
The National Nutrition Mission (later POSHAN Abhiyaan) targets malnutrition among children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, and sets yearly targets to cut stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight. It works through convergence of schemes and a people's movement for awareness; promoting particular foods such as millets or eggs was not among its stated objectives.
- ✓ 1. The Mission targets the nutrition of children up to 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers, and involves the public through a Jan Andolan to spread awareness about nutrition.
- ✓ 2. It aims to reduce anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls by 3% a year, alongside stunting, under-nutrition and low birth weight.
- ✗ 3. Promoting millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice was not an objective of the Mission as framed; they concern food-grain policy.
- ✗ 4. Encouraging the consumption of poultry eggs was not a stated objective of the Mission.
- • Since then Since then, under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the guidelines require millets to be served at Anganwadis at least once a week (PIB, 2023).
Remember · National Nutrition Mission / POSHAN Abhiyaan: cut stunting, under-nutrition and low birth weight by 2% a year and anaemia (children, women, adolescent girls) by 3% a year; convergence plus Jan Andolan.
Sources
- PIB, Cabinet (1 December 2017): Cabinet approves setting up of National Nutrition Mission ↗ “NNM targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively. … There are a number of schemes directly/indirectly affecting the nutritional status of children (0-6 years age) and pregnant women and lactating mothers.”
- PIB, Ministry of Women and Child Development: Mission Poshan 2.0 ↗ “as per the Mission Poshan 2.0 guidelines, millets need to be mandatorily supplied at least once a week and suitably integrated in Take Home Ration (not raw ration) and Hot Cooked Meals in a palatable form.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·