• Leader of the Green Revolution Dr. M.S Swaminathan and Padma Shri Dr. H Sudarshan, today, launched the National Nutrition Strategy, along with Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar and Member Dr. Vinod Paul. 
• With a benefit to cost ratio of 16:1 for 40 low and middle-income countries, there is a well recognized rationale, globally, for investing in Nutrition.
• The recently published NFHS-4 results reflect some progress, with a decline in the overall levels of under nutrition in both women and children.
• However, the pace of decline is far below what numerous countries with similar growth trajectories to India have achieved. Moreover, India pays an income penalty of 9% to 10% due to a workforce that was stunted during their childhood. 
• To address this and to bring nutrition to the centre-stage ofthe National DevelopmentAgenda, NITI Aayog has drafted the National Nutrition Strategy.
• Formulated through an extensive consultative process, the Strategy lays down a roadmap for effective action, among both implementers and practitioners, in achieving our nutrition objectives. 
• The nutrition strategy envisages a framework wherein the four proximate determinants of nutrition – uptake of health services, food, drinking water & sanitation and income & livelihoods – work togetherto accelerate decline of under nutrition in India.
• Currently, there is also a lack of real time measurement of these determinants, which reduces our capacity for targeted action among the most vulnerable mothers and children. 
• Supply side challenges often overshadow the need to address behavioural change efforts to generate demand for nutrition services. This strategy, therefore, gives prominence to demand and community mobilisation as a key determinant to address India’s nutritional needs. 
• The Nutrition Strategy framework envisages a Kuposhan Mukt Bharat – linked to Swachh Bharat and Swasth Bharat.
• The aim isensure that States create customized State/ District Action Plans to address local needs and challenges.
• This is especially relevant in view of enhanced resources available with the States, to prioritise focussed interventions with agreater role for panchayats and urban local bodies. 
• The strategy enables states to make strategic choices, through decentralized planning and local innovation, with accountability for nutrition outcomes. 

Source:PIB