According to one estimate in India, from 70 to 80 percent people do not get nourishing food. There is utter lack of nutritive elements like protein, minerals, vitamin etc. in the food intake of weaker sections of the country. In different states, Nutrition Expansion blocks have been set up to provide nutritive food to students, industrial workers, women etc.
The main functions of nutrition programme are as:
1. To find out the nutritive deficiency among different sections of the population.
2. Expansion and publicity of programmes concerning nutrition.
3. Monitoring of nutrition programme.
In many states of India, free nutritive food is given to the children under Mid-day Meal Programme. Many nutrition schemes were functioning viz.
(i) Special Nutritive Programme:
Under this scheme nutritive food is given to about 229 lakh children, pregnant and beast-feeding women.
(ii) Mid-day Meal:
Under this programme, 211 lakh children of the age group of 6 to 11 years are being given milk and nourishing diet at the time of mid-day meal.
(iii) Nutrition Education:
Arrangements are being made to impart education regarding nutritive diet etc. to the people.